Diamond Valley fire crews are home after being deployed to northern Alberta to assist in the ongoing battle against wildfires.
Resources from across Alberta have been sent to assist as dozens of wildfires continue to burn in the province, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.
Four crew members from Diamond Valley were sent to the Edson area with a water tender and fire engine, said Diamond Valley Station 3 Chief Jamie Campbell.
Crews left Diamond Valley on May 6 and returned on May 7.
“They didn’t quite need us in Edson as long as they thought," Campbell said. “The weather improved, so we were un-deployed and sent home.”
Assigned to do structural triage, Diamond Valley firefighters assessed risk levels for residential and commercial buildings in the Edson area.
Information gathered was used to create a structural protection plan for the area, he said.
The fire situation in northern and central parts of the province remains volatile.
Although there are more resources in the fire areas now, Campbell said there is always the possibility of being called up again.
“There’re big fires that are happening up there now.”
One fire south of Edson moved 24 kilometres over night, he said.
“With the wind and the dryness, they can move pretty quick.”
The Province says thousands of people remain evacuated from communities in northern and central Alberta and others have been told to prepare to evacuate on short notice.
According to the Province's Wildfire Status Dashboard, there are 76 wildfires burning in Alberta and 24 are classified as out of control.
Wildland firefighters from the United States and other provinces are assisting more than 700 Alberta wildland firefighters who are responding to the fires.
Foothills County remains under a fire advisory, and citizens are asked to use caution when burning.
