Firefighters did not observe very much fire activity today, thanks to the higher relative humidity, cooler temperatures and precipitation on May 22, 2023. (Alberta Wildfire)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

WATCH

Provincial officials provide update on Alberta’s wildfire situation, as of 6:00 p.m. May 23

May 23, 2023 | 2:37 PM

Albertans are asked to continue to be diligent as extreme fire conditions persist.

Provincial officials say those evacuated due to wildfires should register at local reception centres or at emergencyregistration.alberta.ca.

Current situation

• Alberta has declared a provincial state of emergency. Visit ca/emergency for information or call 310-4455, now available 24-7.
• A fire ban and an off-highway vehicle restriction is in place across the Forest Protection Area.
• Tuesday saw a continuation of the showers that started in the province Monday, as well as the lower fire behaviour that resulted from that.
• Weather patterns are bringing some precipitation to the west and central areas of the province.
• Current wildfire information is available on the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
• Some communities remain affected by poor air quality. Keep up to date on special air quality statements and advisories.
  • Visit alberta.ca to find out the level of health risk associated with your local air quality.
  • Learn more about the potential effects of wildfire smoke on your health.
• Evacuation orders: 15
• Alberta Emergency Alerts: 13 (eight orders, five alerts)
• Number of evacuees: 10,655
• Alberta currently has more than 2,700 personnel working on wildfires. This includes support from partner agencies across Canada and the United States as well as the Canadian Armed Forces.

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• The City of Edmonton has closed the Drayton Valley and Brazeau County evacuee reception centre at EXPO Centre as of 4 p.m. on May 23 due to the easing wildfire situation in those two areas.
• The City of Calgary will close its evacuee reception centre at 5 p.m. on May 24.
• You can view a full list of closures and restriction details.

Support for evacuees

• Since the announcement of one-time emergency financial assistance for evacuees, more than 14,200 applications have been processed.
• More than $19 million in e-transfers has been sent to evacuees.
• More than $6.3 million in debit cards has been distributed.
• Debit cards are available for evacuees unable to receive an e-transfer at 15 Alberta Supports Centre locations with extended hours and at Edmonton and Calgary evacuation centres.

Donations

• Albertans who wish to help can make cash donations through the Canadian Red Cross or within their regions to a recognized charitable organization of their choice.
• The Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta will each match every dollar donated, so every $1 will become $3 to support those affected by the wildfires.
• The Canadian Red Cross is launching an Immediate Support to Not-for-Profit Organizations program to deliver urgent and ongoing support for people affected by wildfires across Alberta. Eligible community organizations providing immediate relief assistance may apply for $5,000 in one-time funding. View full program eligibility criteria.

Offers of support

• Government staff have been coordinating a high volume of offers from Albertans and from others across North America.
• Individuals and companies with goods or services to offer or donate to support the government’s response to the wildfire can continue to email EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca.

For more information on the emergency and supports for evacuees, go to alberta.ca/emergency.