Evacuation orders issued as rising rivers threaten Fort McMurray

FORT MCMURRAY – The spring ice breakup on rivers in northern Alberta is forcing some residents of Fort McMurray neighbourhoods from their homes, and people are being urged to completely avoid travelling in the city’s downtown.

A secondary State of Local Emergency has been issued due to high water levels along the Athabasca, Snye and Clearwater Rivers.

The State of Emergency applies to all of Fort McMurray, Draper, and lower townsite and Clearwater areas within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

A Mandatory Evacuation Order has been issued for Demers Drive, Armit Crescent, Fitzsimmons Avenue, Father Mercredi Street and the Platinum Hotel at 8530 Franklin Avenue.

View the full statement here: https://t.co/mnmWVtLeEx pic.twitter.com/B2ryp6DEUK

— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) April 27, 2020

The region said there is also a voluntary evacuation notice for the Ptarmigan Court Trailer Park in the Waterways neighbourhood, and that everyone in the areas of Waterways and Lower Townsite of Fort McMurray must be prepared to evacuate on short notice.

The municipality’s website says there’s flooding on Clearwater Drive near downtown Fort McMurray and that the water is rising, stressing no one should travel there unless it is necessary.

A boil water advisory has also been issued for the municipality.

Due to reports of discolouration in tap water of Fort McMurray neighbourhoods north of the Athabasca River bridges, Alberta Health Services has directed the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to issue a boil water advisory.

View the advisory here: https://t.co/DFkZX66s9l pic.twitter.com/Hni0tp86G9

— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) April 27, 2020

All residents are advised to avoid river banks and shorelines as they remain dangerous, and flooding is occurring in certain areas resulting in evacuation orders and affecting travel routes. As well, please avoid stopping on the Athabasca bridge to watch the river.

At this time the Municipality does not anticipate any closures to the Highway 63 bridge that is designed to withstand river breakup. Any unnecessary travel should be avoided along with stopping on the bridge.

Evacuees are being directed to a drive-thru reception centre that has been set up at the Oil Sands Discovery Centre in Fort McMurray.

The municipality has declared a secondary state of local emergency due to the flooding, which comes on top of an initial state of local emergency declared last month because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

-with files from MyMcMurray