Athabasca river rising due to ice jam. 5:30, April 28, 2026
FORT McMURRAY — An ice jam on the Athabasca River near Fort McMurray continues to slowly break down, but officials say river breakup is still underway and risks remain.
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo said Friday the ice jam has shrunk by about four kilometres since the previous day and is now roughly 15.5 kilometres long. While the jam is expected to melt past the confluence of the Clearwater and Athabasca rivers, it remains in place downstream of the city.
Water levels along the Clearwater River remain elevated due to the ice jam and ongoing snowmelt. Officials say residents may notice moving water beneath the Athabasca River bridge, though the jam upstream continues to restrict flow.
Municipal and provincial crews are continuing to monitor river conditions closely, with daily aerial assessments still underway.
“Before we can declare river breakup complete, we need to have zero risk of an ice jam and we aren’t there yet,” said Jody Butz, the municipality’s director of emergency management. “It’s important to note that what the public is seeing is the ice jam getting smaller, but it is still firmly in place downstream of Fort McMurray.”
Draper remains under an evacuation alert as a precaution, and the Regional Emergency Coordination Centre continues to oversee response efforts.
Officials say overland flooding is ongoing in some low-lying areas, which is typical 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 continues to operate 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 conditions remain unpredictable.
The municipality says it will begin scaling back public updates to once per day starting May 2, following the release of information from provincial river forecasters.
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