Residents of two northern Alberta communities were forced to leave their homes Saturday due to an encroaching wildfire.
An evacuation order was issued for John D’Or Prairie and Fox Lake due to a group of out-of-control fires threatening High 58 and neighbouring communities.
Residents were told to bring important documents and medication, and register at the Travel Centre at 12 mile. More information was being posted on the Little Red River Cree Nation Facebook page.
The Semo-Complex fire is made up of five separate fires burning in the region, with the largest burning at 70,411 hectares around 8 kilometres from Highway 58.
Collectively, the Semo-Complex covers more than 155,000 hectares. According to Alberta Wildfire, more than 200 firefighters and support staff are working on the complex, as well as 10 helicopters and 43 pieces of heavy equipment.
The community of Garden River was evacuated on July 10 due to the same group of fires.
On Friday, Chipewyan Lake in northern Alberta was evacuated after an out-of-control wildfire in that area threatened to cut off the only road in and out of the community.
As of Saturday afternoon, there were 155 wildfires burning in Alberta, with 54 classified as out of control.