A fast-moving wildfire near the Alberta town of Swan Hills has forced residents to evacuate and disrupted oil production in the region. The blaze, burning out of control, has already spread across approximately 1,600 hectares and is located just 7 kilometers from the town. About 1,200 people were ordered to leave their homes on Monday night.
Aspenleaf Energy, which operates in the area, has shut down around 4,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) and pulled its crews from the field as a safety measure. CEO Bryan Gould said the fire was about 10 kilometers from the company’s facilities as of Monday evening. Canadian Natural Resources, the country’s largest oil producer, also has operations nearby but has not issued a public statement.
Wildfires are a recurring threat in Alberta, especially during spring. Last year, the province faced similar conditions, with more than 100 fires leading to major disruptions. In 2023, over 319,000 boepd were shut in during peak fire activity. The memory of the 2016 Fort McMurray disaster, which forced 90,000 people to evacuate and cut oil output by 1 million barrels per day, still looms large.
Swan Hills isn’t the only area at risk. Another wildfire, roughly 390 hectares in size, is also burning out of control in Yellowhead County. Across Alberta, 47 fires are currently active, with two classified as out of control.
The stakes are high. Alberta’s oil sands production has increased by 1.3 million barrels per day over the past decade, reaching 3.3 million bpd. That number is expected to grow to 3.8 million bpd by 2030. However, more infrastructure also means more exposure to climate-related threats.
This latest fire underscores a growing reality: as wildfires become more frequent and intense, Canada’s energy sector remains highly vulnerable—not just to economic pressures, but to the accelerating impacts of climate change.
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