
A grass fire that closed a northern section of the Trans-Canada Highway in Alberta that had spread to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is now under control.
RCMP say that the fire on Friday night east of Elk Island National Park has been contained and Highway 16 was reopened.
Evacuations ordered earlier in the evening for homes on Range Road 195, North of Highway 16, has been lifted.
The fire had spread to structures inside the Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village, which features 40 restored buildings commemorating the settlement of east central Alberta by Ukrainians.
RCMP have not shared any details about the extend of damage inside the village.
According to its website, the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Society was founded in 1971, and it bought the site and began relocating buildings there from farms and towns of east central Alberta.
The province acquired it in 1975, and it says the buildings there have been restored and furnished to their early 20th century appearance.
The Alberta Emergency Alert sent at 8:24 p.m. warned residents and travellers to avoid the area and to prepare to evacuate if advised by RCMP, but was cancelled about 30 minutes later saying the fire has been contained.
Officials with Alberta Wildfire say the wildfire risk in a number of forest management areas has been elevated due to warmer temperatures and wind.
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