Meander River, Alberta, CA under mandatory evacuation order

"Close to 70 people/resident still in Meander River," says man organizing evacuation.

Meander River, Alta., is under a mandatory evacuation order, as of 5:45 p.m. MT, Wednesday. Many had already left the community voluntarily as wildfires in northern Alberta continue to burn out of control.

Meander River is a small community approximately 45 minutes north of High Level, Alta. Sidney Chambaud remained in the community during the voluntary evacuation to act as security for homes left empty during the evacuation.

Chambaud said there are "about 70" people still in the community. He said he's in the process of getting everybody together for the evacuation.

"I'm not sure where they are going to be taken," he said during a phone call.

"The concern is that ... the Steen River fire may hit 20 kilometres north of Meander by tonight."

Steen River, approximately 75 kilometres north of Meander River, is under an evacuation order due to the Chuckegg Creek wildfire. Along with the wildfire at Steen River, the Chuckegg fire just outside of High Level continues to burn. The last measurement of that fire was about 150,000 hectares.

Chambauld said he had been informed of the evacuation order through a First Nation disaster service coordinator, working in conjunction with the Alberta Government.