FORT McMURRAY — Water levels along the Athabasca River are slowly declining as breakup conditions continue to evolve in the Fort McMurray area.
Municipal officials say an ice run moving downstream from the Town of Athabasca has not yet reached the existing ice jam near Fort McMurray, but is expected to arrive in the coming days.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo says the ice jam has continued to weaken, shrinking by about five kilometres since the previous aerial assessment. Provincial forecasters continue to conduct daily flights to monitor conditions.
Draper remains under an evacuation alert as a precaution, while the Regional Emergency Coordination Centre continues to track the situation closely.
Warmer temperatures and sunshine are helping to break down ice within the urban area, though officials caution that conditions can change quickly during river breakup.
Overland flooding continues in some low-lying areas, which is common during spring breakup. Several locations remain closed, including the Snye parking lot, Morimoto Drive, Raphael Cree Park and boat launch, Tom Weber Park and boat launch, and the Sarah Holden Dog Park.
The municipality says the Fort McMurray water treatment plant is operating normally, with no concerns about water supply or quality.
Residents are being urged to stay away from riverbanks, ice and fast-moving water, and to respect all closures as monitoring efforts continue.
Officials say further updates will be provided as conditions change.
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