Sturgeon County has reinstated a full fire ban, as local resources are stretched thin battling a blaze on the county’s northern border.
Sturgeon fire crews are battling the massive blaze in Thorhild County near the small hamlet of Opal. The fire covers 1,000 hectares of land and was classified as out of control this afternoon.
The fire is just north of Township Road 582, very close to the border between Thorhild and Sturgeon counties.
Crews from Namao, Gibbons, Redwater and as far away as Westlock and Lamont County are battling the fire. Firefighters from the provincial Sustainable Resources department and several planes and helicopters along with heavy equipment have also been brought in.
The tower of smoke can be seen across much of Sturgeon.
Under a complete fire ban, the only permitted fires are gas-fuelled barbecues.
The county only recently lifted a fire ban that had been in place for over a month, because of extremely dry conditions.
