Latest from province on Slave Lake efforts: alberta.ca

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews on Alberta Wildfires: "I wish to express my deepest concern for those families affected by the speed and severity of the terrible wildfires sweeping through the Slave Lake area. At this time of immense loss of homes and businesses, the resilience shown by Northern Albertans is as inspiring in its strength as the fires are horrific in their destruction."

All member hotels of the Association of Edmonton Convention Hotels will offer an $89 room rate on any available guest rooms:

Chateau Louis Hotel
Coast Edmonton House Coast Edmonton Plaza
Crown Plaza Chateau Lacombe
Delta Edmonton Centre Suite
Delta Edmonton South Hotel
Executive Royal Inn - West Edmonton
Fairmont Hotel MacDonald
Fantasyland Hotel
Four Points by Sheraton
Greenwood Hotel & Suites
Holiday Inn Express Downtown
Matrix Hotel
Mayfield Inn & Suites
Metterra Hotel
Radisson Hotel Edmonton South
Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre
Sawridge Edmonton South
Sutton Place Hotel
Varscona Hotel
West Edmonton Mall Inn

@Albfirewolf At this time the extent of the damage in the area is unknown.

Some quick fire updates:

Fire has destroyed the Whitefish look out tower and the Addison Inn near Whitefish

500 people from Gift Lake are evacuated but at this time it does not appear to be threatening the community, though it is 26-thousand hectares in size and has jumped Hwy 88

Atikameg is not in harms way

The fire at Assineau has been stopped – that community has not been affected

Some homes have been lost in the Whitewater and Canyon Creeks areas, but no word on how many

School in Kinuso has been cancelled for Tuesday

Premier Ed Stelmach to address media again tonight at 6:30 p.m.. Details as they are made available.

About 195 residents of the Slave Lake area are being sheltered at a temporary reception area set up in the Edmonton EXPO Centre at Northlands, following the devastating wildfires that swept across the Northern Alberta area.

The City of Edmonton’s Disaster Social Services is operating the centre in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

“The City of Edmonton plans regularly for emergencies such as this one,” said Dean Treichel, spokesperson for the City's Disaster Social Services in an afternoon update to media. “As a result of our preparations, and together with our partners, we were well prepared to support the Slave Lake evacuees.”

Providing support services at the Edmonton site, such as food, clothing, toiletries and blankets medical aid, and counseling services are approximately 50 employees from the City and partner organizations such as Alberta Health Services, the Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Northlands.

The Edmonton Humane Society has set up an emergency animal evacuation centre, currently housing 20 animals from the Slave Lake area.

As a precautionary measure, Syncrude is evacuating non-essential employees and contractors from the Aurora site starting this afternoon. Syncrude’s facilities are currently still not at risk due to these fires. Winds and smoke are the major factors prompting the evacuation.

Operations and staffing levels at the Mildred Lake site remain normal.

There are two fires that are causing a concern for Syncrude. The first is located northwest just on Aurora’s Boundary Lease. The second fire is located north of the Albian turnoff close to Highway 63.