A wildfire raging in northern Alberta is urgently threatening First Nations Communities, and the town of High Level.

The winds have been in favour of those combatting the Chuckegg Fire, typically blowing to the east and southeast, shielding High Level from the fire.

Those winds are expected to change, leaving High Level's Mayor Crystal McAteer warning her residents that the danger has not passed.

"Now I want to stress the importance to everyone especially evacuees...that the danger has not passed, nor has it diminished."

Evacuation of the Town were completed as of 10 a.m. Monday May 20, and evacuees are being warned that the fire could keep them out of their homes for a further 72 hours.

Alberta wildfire firefighter, Scott Elliott says, thanks to an imminent change in weather, communities laying to the south of High Level could start to see smoke travel their way.

"We've been under a very steady east and southeast winds and that has blown smoke to the north.  With the change in the wind direction now coming out of the north, that will start to push the smoke south."

Worries that the change in wind direction could also lead the fire into High Level are being addressed by the High Level Fire Chief Rodney Schmidt, who says they've taken steps to mitigate risks in the community by removing anything that is extra flammable, creating fire breaks and cutting power and natural gas when needed.

Schmidt says currently there are over a hundred firefighters with 'boots on the ground.' 

"There's approximately 110 structural firefighters on the ground in High Level with more arriving and well over 30 fire trucks and pieces of equipment in town for any eventuality that may or may not occur to the community."

The High River Fire Department has sent a team to assist in High Level, announced in a Facebook Post on May 22.

 

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