Structural firefighters from 22 Alberta cities, towns and counties are protecting homes and commercial buildings in communities threatened by the Chuckegg Creek Fire.
Chris Schwarz / Government of Alberta
The Chuckegg Fire that forced thousands of people from their homes earlier this year is officially listed as being held.The fire’s status was changed Thursday afternoon, said an update from Alberta Wildfire.“Thanks to the incredibly hard work from thousands of firefighters and support staff, specifically the High Level Forest Area staff, local contractors, business owners, structural firefighting teams from over 30 communities in Alberta and firefighters from across the world, the Chuckegg Creek wildfire is now listed as being held,” said wildfire information officer Victoria Ostendorf in the update.The change in status means the fire is not expected to grow outside of its expected boundaries under current weather. Ostendorf said the fire may still grow within its boundaries and show active signs of flame and smoke.“As a result, a large firefighting operation will remain and continue to work hard to ensure the safety and protection of people, property and resources,” said Ostendorf in the update.The Chuckegg wildfire forced residents from their homes in High Level, Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, Dene Tha’ First Nation, and Mackenzie County at different times throughout the spring and early parts of the summer, destroying more than a dozen homes in Paddle Prairie.dshort@postmedia.com@dylanshort_