EDMONTON — The Canadian Armed Forces are preparing a forward operating location to gather personnel and equipment to be ready should they be called on to assist emergency crews responding to wildfires in British Columbia.

Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton has been selected as the forward base where the armed force’s immediate response unit is on standby, as well as additional personnel and equipment, should a formal request for assistance be made.

Jessica Lamirande, media relations spokesperson for the Department of National Defence, said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton that the military is closely monitoring the wildfire situation in B.C.

“We are working on prudent contingency planning and preparations are ongoing to ensure that our personnel, resources and equipment are ready and that we are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to assist, in support of civil authorities, if asked,” Lamirande said.

The forward operating location will allow for consolidated planning and equipment preparation.

Two Chinook helicopters are being sent to Edmonton from CFB Petawawa, with the first expected to arrive on Sunday.

Three Griffon helicopters in Edmonton are on standby, as well as one Hercules aircraft in Trenton.

“Should it be required, the Chinook and Griffon helicopters will be able to provide tactical airlift for firefighters and equipment in and out of affected areas, or to support to evacuation in an emergency situation,” Lamirande added.

The immediate response unit consists of 350 personnel who could support operation logistics, Lamirande said.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, there are 175 active fires throughout the province on Saturday, the majority of which are in the southeast Interior, Cariboo, and Prince George areas.

Thousands of homes have been evacuated in the province as fires continue to burn near dozens of communities.

Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan said Friday in a press conference that the wildfire situation was shaping up to be severe and that the Canadian Forces are ready to assist if necessary.

“Canadian Armed Forces has domestic high readiness assets available to respond to a request for assistance to help,” Sajjan said.

“Given the severity of the wildfire situation in western Canada, we are established a forward operating location in Edmonton. This location will be able to provide support across the region as needed.”

CALGARY — The identities of a number of the victims of a fatal fire in the town of Chestermere early Friday have been confirmed by family members.

The brother-in-law of the homeowner, Amjad Kamal, tells CTV News that Asad Kamal and Rafiya Kamal, both 38, and Amjad’s wife Batool Rashid, 35, all perished in the fire.

The names of the children killed in the fire, which include a 12-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl, an eight-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy.

Amjad, along with four children, managed to escape the burning home.

Special prayers were held at Calgary’s Green Dome mosque and at the Chestermere Islamic Centre east of the city in honour of the victims.

Imam Syed Soharwardy, with the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, says relatives of the family, some of whom have just arrived in Alberta from Ontario in the wake of the tragedy, watched livestreams of the services.

Soharwardy, who knows the family, says they’re still in shock.

Chestermere Mayor Marshall Chalmers says in a statement that “words cannot effectively express the devastation on (the) community.”

A man and his wife and children from Ontario were staying with his brother and his brother’s wife and children at the house, Soharwardy says, when the fire erupted early Friday.

‘A TRAGIC LOSS’

Meanwhile, residents of the community visited the site of the fatal fire to pay their respects to the victims on Saturday.

“It’s just such devastating news and we just wanted to come by and bring some flowers and show our support,” said Peter Meyer. “We just feel terrible and it’s such a loss of life and we just wanted to try to do something.”

“It’s such a sad incident that happened and my thoughts and prayers are with the family, their friends,” said Adeb Harb, another Chestermere resident.

“It’s always so traumatic when we lose lives this way, so innocently. They’re very active members of the community. I know people who know them directly and I hear nothing but great things about them.”

RCMP have said the cause of the fire is under investigation but initial findings don’t suggest it was deliberately set.

(With files from Jordan Kanygin and The Canadian Press)

EDMONTON — The provincial government is projecting Alberta’s population will reach nearly 6.4 million people by 2046 and become further concentrated within the Edmonton-Calgary Corridor.

The latest population and demographic projections for Alberta were published Friday by the Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance.

According to the province, projections are generated using three different growth scenarios while taking into consideration current fertility, mortality, and migration rates and past trends that are modified to account for possible future patterns.

The province releases population and demographic projections annually to help guide decision-making and long-term planning.

Alberta is expecting to add rough 1.9 million residents over the next 26 years at an average growth rate of 1.4 per cent.

“In the short term, net migration will be significantly lower than has been seen in the recent past, with population growth depressed by impacts of COVID-19 and the economic impacts of low oil prices,” the provincial population projection report read.

Those effects are expected to be felt until 2022, the report said.

Population growth over the next 26 years is expected to be driven mainly by international migration to Alberta.

SENIOR POPULATION TO NEARLY DOUBLE BY 2040

The population projections predict the number of seniors aged 65 and older to nearly double by 2040, with the number of seniors expected to increase from about 611,000 in 2020 to more than 1.1 million by 2040.

That translates to almost one-in-five Albertans being over the age of 65 by 2046.

The average age is forecasted to climb from 38.5 years in 2020 to 41.5 years by 2046.

Albertans are also expected to live longer. Current life expectancies for a girl born in Alberta is 83.9 years of age, while for a boy it is 79.2. Life expectancies are projected to grow to 87 years for females and 83.7 for males.

The province is projecting that life expectancy for those above the age of 65 will also increase.

A man reaching age 65 in 2020 is expected to live, on average, another 19.5 years, as compared to 22.3 years for women. By 2046, those figures are expected to increase to 21.7 years for men and 24.3 years for women.

The share of the population over 80 years old is expected to increase from just over three per cent in 2020 to about seven per cent by 2046.

By 2046, the census division including Hanna is expected to have the oldest population while Slave Lake’s census division is forecasted to have the youngest population in the province.

80% OF ALBERTA TO LIVE IN EDMONTON-CALGARY CORRIDOR BY 2046

The government’s population projections predict that by 2046, approximately 80 per cent of Alberta’s total population will live in the three census divisions that make up the Edmonton-Calgary Corridor.

That corridor includes the census divisions of Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton.

In comparison, last year’s population projection report only predicted 77 per cent of Albertans would call the Edmonton-Calgary Corridor home.

Every census division is expected to have positive population growth with the exceptions of Hanna, Stettler, and Whitecourt.

Banff, Pincher Creek, and Edson are expected to see “minimal growth.”

The census division of Wood Buffalo is expected to lose population until 2024 with “modest” levels of population growth forecasted to be reached between 2026 and 2028.

CALGARY — Heavy rainfall early Friday evening disrupted traffic as a number of streets were flooded.

The area around the Marlborough Mall was impassable around 6:30 p.m.

Nearby, at 52 St. and 16 Ave. N.E., it was the same story.

Pooling water was also evident at 52nd St. and 32nd Ave. N.E.

There were reports of flash flooding on 17 Avenue S.W. near Meegan Road as well.

Hazardous traffic conditions were reported at 36th St. and Rundlehorn Dr. N.E.

There was also a power outage at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Madigan Drive N.E. mentioned on social media.

There was also trouble on Crowchild Trail between 17 Ave S.W. and 33 Ave S.W.

Motorists were being advised to avoid these areas.

Golf ball-sized hail was reported to have fallen in the Chaparral neighbourhood of Calgary.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for Calgary Friday evening.

EDMONTON — As the heat wave in Edmonton is forecasted to come to an end over the weekend, there are reminders of how much the sizzling conditions impacted the city.

A full week of soaring temperatures had various impacts, from fans selling out at stores across the city to businesses temporarily closing or restaurants altering menus.

“It’s too hot, standing over the stove and flipping pans of macaroni for like six hours,” said Andrew Cowan, owner and head chef of Northern Chicken.

Emergency rooms in the Edmonton area saw at least 125 heat-related visits since Tuesday morning, but no heat-related deaths.

“Our crews continue to be busy today,” said Kerry Williamson, Alberta Health Services spokesperson, in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.

In comparison, EMS crews only responded to seven heat-related calls in both Edmonton and Calgary last Friday when temperatures peaked at 26.9 degrees, Williamson said.

The sustained heat created drier conditions ripe for grass and wildfires.

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responded to 30 grass fires since last Friday, including nine on Wednesday and seven on Thursday.

Alberta Wildfire said there were a total of 10 active wildfires burning throughout the province – including eight under control – on Sunday.

As of publication, there were 34 wildfires classified as active by Alberta Wildfire on Friday. Twelve were being held by fire crews, 16 were under control, and six were out-of-control. Approximately 2,299 hectares of land are being affected by all active wildfires. 

The largest out-of-control fire, located east of Fox Creek, Alta., had an estimated size of eight hectares, as of publication.

SIDEWALKS BUCKLE UNDER HEAT

Scorching conditions also left tangible marks on sidewalks.

At least 57 sidewalks in Edmonton buckled or heaved due to the heat wave, said city communications advisor Derek Logan.

“Concrete expands when the temperature rises, and the expansion can be large when there is extreme heat,” Logan added.

“When expansion is large enough that it reduces the space between slabs or joints of a sidewalk, buckling can occur and the result is severely uneven sidewalks.”

Logan said that city crews placed signs to alert people of uneven concrete and would repair the area once temperatures lowered.

Anyone can report a sidewalk that has been raised due to the heat by calling 311 or downloading the Edmonton 311 mobile application. Repairs are prioritized based on the risk they present to the public.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s David Ewasuk