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Wildfire crews watching for dangerous wind shift in High Level, Alta.
HIGH LEVEL, Alta. — Winds that helped prevent the flames of a ferocious wildfire from spreading into the northern Alberta town of High Level began to shift on Sunday, but officials remained optimistic their network of fire breaks and other preparations would keep the flames away.
“We can feel right now the wind is coming out of the south and the smoke will start drifting in towards town, sort of right away,” Alberta Wildfire incident commander Scott Elliot said during a media briefing on Sunday morning.
Approximately 5,000 people from the town and surrounding area were told to leave a week ago, but the prevailing winds kept the flames away from town and the fire usually stayed about three kilometres away.