Wildfire

The Grande Prairie fire ban is now reduced to a fire restriction due to the recent rainfall. Residents are reminded that despite rainy conditions over the past few days, wildfire risk across the region remains high.

The City of Grande Prairie asks residents to take all proper precautions by being informed and following the fire restriction guidelines outlined below.

Prohibited:

·All outdoor fires not contained within a non-combustible fire pit.

·Wood campfires in backcountry or random camping areas.

·Fireworks and exploding targets.

The fire is now at a status of being held. Given current weather conditions and resources, the wildfire is NOT anticipated to grow past expected boundaries. Crews will continue to work in and monitor the area.      

Changes to Evacuation Order and Evacuation Alert 

The Evacuation ORDER has been downgraded to an alert for Township Road 741 to a quarter section north of Township Road 734 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River.  

Thousands of residents in four neighbourhoods in the southern end of Fort McMurray were ordered out Tuesday as a wildfire threatened the Alberta city, bringing back memories of a devastating fire eight years earlier. 

The Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo directed residents in Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace needed to leave by late afternoon.

At 2:10 pm today, the MD of Greenview downgraded its Evacuation Order due to wildfire.

The evacuation order has been cancelled for the North Goodwin area, in the MD of Greenview.

Everyone returning home will remain on 2-hour Evacuation Alert in case the situation deteriorates.

Everyone in the North Goodwin area west of Range Road 21, between Township Road 734 and Township Road 741 may now return home. Everyone else within the MD of Greenview should stay prepared for potential evacuations on short notice due to wildfires this hazard season.

A wildfire raging through Fort Nelson has surged in size, prompting officials to issue additional mandatory evacuation orders for residents in northeastern British Columbia.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the Fort Nelson fire has ballooned to over 84 square kilometers from its initial size of just under 53 square kilometers as of Monday morning.

The fire perimeter has not had any new growth since the last update. Hot spots have been identified in the centre of the Teepee Creek wildfire zone which causes visible smoke in the area. Crews have reinforced the north side of the perimeter.   

Overnight, the night vision helicopter continued bucketing on the west and east sides, making sure embers are contained. 

Checkpoints are still in place. Public is reminded to contact the Call Centre at 1-825-606-5166 to determine if it’s safe to enter 

Mental Health Support Update 

Last night,  Alberta Wildfire had night vision helicopters working throughout the night. on the Teepee Creek wildfire, along with a wildfire crew, municipal fire fighters and heavy equipment to secure the perimeter on priority hotspots.

Crews continue working and have made good progress, completing 90 per cent of the fire guard around the perimeter. 

In response to escalating wildfire threats, authorities have declared an evacuation zone in the North Goodwin area, prompting the relocation of a small number of residents to Valleyview. 

RCMP have notified affected individuals, ensuring their safe evacuation from the endangered zone.

Despite the intensity of the situation, there was minimal growth in fire activity overnight, offering a glimmer of hope to residents and emergency responders alike.

Today's update from the County of Grande Prairie, May 11, 2024, at 9:20am

Teepee Creek Wildfire  

The Grande Prairie Forest Area is currently facing an unprecedented wildfire crisis, with multiple blazes raging out of control. Authorities have declared the wildfire danger as extreme, prompting urgent response measures amidst challenging conditions.

Helicopter and air tanker operations are severely hampered today due to limited visibility, exacerbating efforts to contain the infernos. The situation is further compounded by smoke drifting in from wildfires in neighboring British Columbia, where previous season's remnants have been rekindled by dry, windy weather conditions.