Emergency Alert Cancelled for Area Near Fire at Central Alberta Oil Lease Site

An emergency alert issued Tuesday night for communities in east-central Alberta near a fire at an oil lease site has been cancelled.

The alert was initially issue for air quality due to toxic smoke from a fire at an oil lease site, located about 23 kilometres southeast of Mannville, Alta. The update posted shortly after 7 p.m. MT says crews have the fire under control.

“There is no longer any toxic smoke being released from the fire,” the alert said. The community is located 170 kilometres southeast of Edmonton,

The directive to shelter in place has been cancelled, but the public should continue to avoid the area for the safety of the crews working onsite to resolve the situation, the alert says.

The alert was issued by the County of Minburn.

Mike Fundytus, director of protective services for the county, told CBC News they were alerted to the fire around 10:49 a.m.

When crews arrived, he said they discovered two oil tanks were on fire.