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The homes are widely scattered in the settlement’s northeast, but Desjarlais says Paddle Prairie’s hamlet is also at risk and the total number of properties destroyed could rise depending on fire conditions.

He says none of the homes was insured and it’s hoped the Alberta government will bring in modular housing to accommodate displaced owners.

The province said Thursday the Chuckegg Creek wildfire had grown to 2,300 square kilometres, or about 230,000 hectares.

Authorities also said the number of northern fire evacuees had swelled to roughly 10,000 from about 5,000.

“It’s like a burnt piece of toast up there,” said Desjarlais as he described the path of destruction in Paddle Prairie. “The whole land has been scorched.”

About 800 people live in the settlement, which is about 760 kilometres northwest of Edmonton and has an estimated 245 houses.

People in Slave Lake, a town that was partially destroyed in a 2011 blaze, have been told to be prepared to leave with eight hours notice because of a fire that the mayor says is burning about 30 kilometres away.

The government said weather forecasts for the next two weeks will make fighting the fires difficult. Firefighters were in Alberta from across Canada doing their best to corral the flames.

“This fight is going to be a tough one,” said Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s minister of agriculture and forestry. “The weather is not co-operating for the long-distance forecast for the next two weeks. It’s more of the same, of hot, dry and windy conditions.