Barrhead Fire Forces Summerlea Evacuation After Buildings Ignite

A barrhead fire west of the town set buildings on fire and sent residents of the Summerlea subdivision near Thunder Lake out of their homes. An Alberta Emergency Alert issued just before 5 p.m. told people in the subdivision to evacuate immediately.

The County of Barrhead said residents in Summerlea must take Highway 18 to Barrhead and register at the county office at 5306-49 Street, Barrhead, AB. The county also issued a state of local emergency because of the wildfire, while all other people were told to avoid the area around the fire.

Summerlea near Thunder Lake

The subdivision sits about 20 km west of Barrhead, placing the evacuation zone close to the wildfire’s reported path. An area resident told Global News they first saw thick, black smoke rising into the sky from across the lake around 4:15 p.m.

That early smoke report came before the emergency alert and before the evacuation order. By the time the alert went out, structural fires were already being reported in Summerlea, leaving residents with a direct route out of the subdivision and a registration point in town.

County of Barrhead alert

The county said a fire restriction is in effect, adding another layer of limits in the same area where the wildfire is burning. The alert and evacuation order cover a rural area northwest of Edmonton, with the county government directing evacuees to Barrhead rather than keeping them near Thunder Lake.

The count of burning buildings and the type of structures were not given, so the immediate issue for residents is getting out and registering in Barrhead rather than waiting for a fuller damage tally. The order places Summerlea residents on Highway 18, while everyone else is being kept away from the fire zone.