UPDATE: May 26, 2025, 6:46 p.m.
A Mandatory Evacuation Order is in Effect for the Town of Swan Hills
There is a wildfire burning north of the Town of Swan hills. Conditions have changed today and residents must prepare to evacuate immediately.
Residents of Swan Hills are to evacuate immediately. Gather pets, important documents and medication, enough food, water and supplies for at least three days. A reception center is set up and located at the Allan and Jean Miller Centre located at 58 Sunset Blvd, Whitecourt Alberta. All evacuees are encouraged to register at the reception center. If you are not going through Whitecourt for evacuation, please contact 780-778-3637 to register.
A bus is located at the Keyano Centre parking lot in Swan Hills for those that do not have a ride to evacuate.
Once again, there is a Mandatory Evacuation Order in effect for the Town of Swan Hills. Tune in to the Alberta Emergency Alert website and the Town of Swan Hills Facebook page for further updates.
According to 511 Alberta, all lanes of Highway 33, from Highway 2 to North Avenue, are closed as of 6:33 p.m. Travellers are asked to use an alternate route and be mindful of poor visibility due to smoke.
Original news story follows:
A one hour evacuation notice remains in place for the town of swan hills.
That means that there is no evacuation currently issued, however if a mandatory evacuation order is issued, you will have one hour to evacuate the town of swan hills.
Area: there IS A WILDFIRE BURNING 8 KILOMETERS NORTH OF THE TOWN OF SWAN HILLS.
Affected areas (1):
- Swan hills
Action to take:
- Everyone in the affected area should prepare for a possible evacuation
- Gather pets, important documents, medication, enough food, water and supplies for at least three days make sure you have enough fuel in your vehicle
- This alert will be updated if an evacuation is required
According to Alberta Wildfire, the Edith Lake wildfire was detected on the afternoon of May 25 and is located approximately 8 km north of Swan Hills and 3 km west of highway 33. This wildfire is currently classified as out of control and estimated to be 2,000 hectares (ha).
Firefighters, helicopters, airtankers and heavy equipment operators continue to fight this wildfire. This afternoon strong winds from the northwest have caused the wildfire to increase in intensity on the east side. Due to smoke causing poor visibility, Highway 33 has been closed. Visit 511 Alberta for the most up to date information.
Two wildland urban interface crews and a high volume water delivery system are being deployed for the Town of Swan Hills. An incident command team and additional fire crews arrive Tuesday.
Aerial photo of SWF076 taken on May 25. Firefighters, water skimming air tankers, helicopters and heavy equipment are working on containment today on the south and eastern sides. (Alberta Wildfire)A one-hour evacuation notice is in effect for the town of Swan Hills. For information on active alerts, please visit Albert Emergency Alert.
To see this wildfire on a map, download the AB Wildfire Status app or visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
Officials say the wildfire danger is extreme due to hot, dry and windy conditions.
Residents of the area are asked to avoid all outdoor activities that have the potential to spark a fire, as a fire can easily ignite and grow out of control in these conditions.
