Prince William, Catherine to visit devastated town of Slave Lake
July 6, 2011 5:06 a.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Plans include visits with emergency services personnel and families in Slave Lake
- A wildfire in May destroyed many homes in the central Alberta town
- Wednesday is the seventh day of the royal couple's nine-day Canadian tour
- William and Catherine will end their tour in Calgary before heading to the United States
(CNN) -- Prince William and his wife, Catherine, will visit a fire-stricken town in central Alberta on Wednesday, the seventh day of their Canadian tour.
Slave Lake was devastated by a May wildfire that destroyed homes and other structures.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will meet emergency services personnel from the fire brigade, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the medical response team in the town before visiting with families affected by the disaster.
Later Wednesday, the royal couple will head to Calgary, Alberta, for a series of events Thursday and Friday.
William and Catherine are expected to visit a total of four provinces and one territory during their nine-day tour -- their first official foreign trip as a married couple.
On Tuesday, William and Catherine made the northernmost stops of their journey when they visited sites in the Northwest Territories.
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The couple took in customary aboriginal activities, including traditional drumming, dancing and sports, in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Afterward, William and Catherine spoke at a session of Youth Parliament and met with aboriginal elders and young adults from the Northwest Territories.
On Monday, William and Catherine toured Prince Edward Island, racing in dueling dragon boats and visiting Province House, the second-oldest active legislature building in Canada.
Afterward, the couple headed to Dalvay-by-the-Sea. There, Prince William -- a military helicopter pilot by training -- joined his Canadian counterparts in taking part in a "waterbird" emergency landing in a nearby lake.
In the exercise, which was originated by Canadian armed forces for use in search-and-rescue missions, the helicopter's engine is cut off and it then lands in the water. When it is about one-quarter submerged, the propellers are restarted to bring the helicopter back toward the sky.
The Prince Edward Island visit came a day after the most controversial stop on their tour in the French-speaking province of Quebec.
William and Catherine attended a "Freedom of the City" ceremony at Quebec City Hall, where the prince addressed the crowd in French after being met by cheering supporters. Nearby, a small but vocal group of anti-monarchy protesters gathered.
Quebec's relationship with the monarchy has often been strained, with the queen met by booing protesters on a visit to the province in 1964.
The royal couple also visited Maison Dauphine, a center that provides assistance to troubled street youth in Quebec. They posed for pictures and seemed at ease as artists showed off their work. The prince played a quick game of foosball.
The duke and duchess started their Canadian tour last Thursday in Ottawa, Ontario.
After they wrap up their tour on Friday, the duke and duchess will head to California for three days.
CNN's Max Foster contributed to this report.
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