Evacuation alert lifted for Slave Lake, wildfire threat now considered low
Cooler temperatures helping work toward containment, municipal district says
An evacuation alert for the northern Alberta community of Slave Lake has lifted after cooler temperatures helped crews tamper the flames.
A fire sparked by lightning on Sunday put thousands of residents on standby for an evacuation. That alert was cancelled Tuesday at 5:31 p.m. for those living within the evacuation zone including the town of Slave Lake, the hamlet of Marten Beach, Summerwood, Township Road 740, and the Gillwood Golf Course area.
An update from the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River on Tuesday evening said fire crews are making good progress toward containing the fire, but significant equipment and resources are still being dedicated to fighting it.
"The threat assessment is low based on the recommendation from regional fire services," the update said.
The town of Slave Lake suffered a fire in 2011 that burned about one-third of the community, or nearly 400 homes and businesses.