Site assessments are underway in the Thunder Lake subdivision of Barrhead County following a wildfire that broke out Thursday night.
At about 5 p.m. on May 29, residents of the Thunder Lake and Summerlea subdivisions were ordered to evacuate due to a wildfire causing structure fires in the area, about 20 km west of the Town of Barrhead.
As of 7 p.m. last night, the structure fires near Thunder Lake were contained, but ongoing hot spots required the evacuation order to remain in effect. At the same time, Summerlea residents were permitted to return home.
As of 9 a.m. this morning, the county says the fire is under control, and emergency staff are on site in Thunder Lake to assess damages and ensure site safety before coordinating a return for residents. The evacuation order remains in effect, however.
So far, Information Officer Adam Vanderwekken says the county has received reports of eight residences with varying degrees of damage.
“In addition to those eight residences, there are quite a number of outbuildings and accessory buildings that were damaged or affected as well,” he adds.
Vanderwekken reports that 27 Thunder Lake evacuees and nine Summerlea evacuees registered with the county last night.
The county also thanks regional and provincial partners for their assistance with the wildfire.
“The quick and rapid response allowed us to quickly contain the damage,” comments Vanderwekken. “Without such a coordinated response, damage could have been greater, so we are very thankful for the rapid response that was provided.”
For the latest updates on the wildfire and evacuation order, visit the Barrhead County website.
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Related: Evacuation Alert: Wildfire in Barrhead County at Thunder Lake
