Firefighters battle out-of-control wildfire near Edson, Alta.
Visit The Weather Network's wildfire hub to keep up with the latest on the active start to wildfire season across Canada.
A natural gas pipeline rupture Tuesday morning in west-central Alberta has sparked an out-of-control wildfire.
TC Energy activated its emergency response procedures after it was notified about the incident, involving its Nova Gas Transmission Line, located 40 kilometres northwest of Edson, Alta., at about 11 a.m., the company said in a statement.
"The pipeline incident did create a wildfire and so Alberta Wildfire, Yellowhead County and TC Energy are currently responding to the wildfire," said Caroline Charbonneau, Alberta Wildfire information officer for the Edson forest area.
An aerial photo of a wildfire about 40 kilometres north of Edson, Alta., involving TC Energy's Nova Gas Transmission Line, taken around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (Alberta Wildfire)
Charbonneau said the fire is considered to be out of control and is estimated to cover about 10 hectares. She said conditions are dry but firefighters are making good progress and currently there are no communities threatened by the fire.
TC Energy said the affected 4.5-kilometre section of the pipeline has been isolated and shut down.
"There are no reported injuries. Our primary focus right now is the health and safety of responding personnel, surrounding communities and mitigating risk to the environment," the company said in a statement on its website.
WATCH: Firefighters train for busy wildfire season as drought conditions persist
Alberta Wildfire is working with Yellowhead County and the company to fight the wildfire. The response includes eight pieces of heavy equipment, 12 wildland firefighters, air tankers and helicopters. No injuries have been reported.
The Nova Gas Transmission Line network spans 24,494 kilometres, according to the TC Energy website. It connects natural gas production in western Canada to domestic and export markets.
In April 2022, a natural gas leak from the pipeline in northwestern Alberta caught fire and was investigated by the Transportation Safety Board. The TSB released its investigation report into that incident in January, finding that the pipeline rupture was due to external corrosion.
Yellowhead County said in a statement that it "worked with the gas company to shut the pipeline in. There is no more leaking gas."
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, the county said.
Thumbnail courtesy of Alberta Wildfire via CBC.
The story was originally written by Thandiwe Konguavi and published for CBC News. It contains files from Claudette Germain.
