What is the name and location of the wildfire?

The Yellowhead County Wildfires are located near Edson, Alberta, Canada. The wildfire is also known as EWF031 (1].

Which cities or areas are affected by the wildfire?

The town of Edson, Alberta, is directly impacted by the wildfire which is burning just south of the city. Parts of Yellowhead County in Alberta, the hamlets of Peers and Marlboro, are also affected. Air quality is being affected in Edmonton (2).

What is the current containment status of the wildfire?

Crews are working to contain the fires and keep the fires from destroying structures. Additional equipment and personnel are expected to arrive to aid in containment efforts.

Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?

There are evacuation orders in place for Edson and parts of Yellowhead County. 8,400 Edson residents are being evacuated, as are an additional 5,000 throughout the county. Evacuation centers, such as the Edmonton Expo Centre, were setup to accommodate evacuees.

Sprinkler systems are being set up in Peers and Marlboro to protect homes. The situation is described as very serious.

How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?

Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.