There are 87 active wildfires in the forest protection area of Alberta and 24 are classified as out of control, according to the latest figures..On Saturday, there were 83 wildfires..On Sunday, the UCP government said Alberta remains under a provincial state of emergency and the provincial Emergency Coordination Centre remains a level four, the top level.."Approximately 19,342 have evacuated at this time. And there are nine reception centres that have registered evacuees. That is an increase in the number of evacuees due to three new evacuation orders in the past 24 hours," said Colin Blair, executive director for Alberta Emergency Management Agency.."The wildfire situation is extremely volatile, hot and dry conditions throughout much of Alberta present an ever increasing risk of new wildfire starting and the potential for current wildfires to grow quickly. This situation represents a significant and unpredictable threat to many communities in our province.".Rainbow Lake, Leduc County and Sturgeon Lake First Nation have now been evacuated..The UCP government said it is working with local authorities in the County of Grande Prairie and the City of Grande Prairie to construct a fireguard around the city of Grande Prairie..Additionally, the province along with local authorities with the Municipal District of Greenview are working to establish a fireguard around Little Smoky and along Highway 43..Fireguards are barriers that are created by removing trees and other vegetation – essentially getting rid of the fuel for the fire..The UCP government said firefighters have been working hard preparing for more challenging conditions, building breaks around communities and making use of fresh firefighters coming in from outside the province..Another 250 firefighters are expected to arrive from the USA soon..The Alberta RCMP are also using the RAVE Alert system to send tips about how Albertans can protect their properties in advance of being evacuated and updates on what the RCMP are doing in specific areas to deter and catch criminals who might take advantage of this provincial emergency..The Alberta RCMP said it will be patrolling and monitoring evacuated communities, using a variety of tools and resources to minimize crime in affected areas.."The RAVE Alert mass notification system will keep Albertans updated and informed of these activities," the Alberta RCMP said.."People in areas affected by wildfires are encouraged to opt in to this free, voluntary system.".Individuals can also sign up to get text, voicemail or email updates for areas of the province they choose at getrave.ca.
