Flood Situation Update - June 20

This rainfall is not normal. This is considered a major storm event, at a level seen only once every 25 to 50 years.

Over the past week, Edson has been hit by more than 135mm of rain. Some of our neighbours in Yellowhead County have been evacuated due to flooding.

The storm has caused stress on our sanitary and stormwater management systems, with flooding the result of sewer backups, localized flooding, erosion, and infrastructure damage.

Please avoid areas in Town that are currently flooded, including Bench Creek, Centennial Park, and the Edson Golf Course. Our crews are hard at work, pumping water and sandbagging homes to avoid and mitigate damage where possible. We are evaluating Town infrastructure, and our constantly adjusting our emergency approaches as the situation evolves.

Please note that the wildfires are still a concern for the Town and the region. We’ll share the Alberta Wildfire update as it becomes available. However, flooding is our most immediate concern.

We know it is hard to go from sustained wildfires, to evacuation, to re-entry and now flooding. We are here for you, and we are working hard to keep our community safe. Thank you to our team and emergency crews for all their hard work, and to our residents for following the advice of officials. It takes all of us to keep our community safe.