Wildfire

Tuesday afternoon, Peace Regional RCMP responded to a wildfire in the area of Highway 684, near Shaftsbury Trail and Bricks Hill in the MD of Peace.

Here are the latest updates from the MD of Peace River regarding the wildfire (PMD003) burning southwest of Peace River.  

The fire is located approximately 20 kilometres southwest of the Town of Peace River and approximately seven kilometres southeast of Grimshaw, towards the river. 

On Sunday, April 21st, Slave Lake RCMP responded to a fast-spreading forest fire in Canyon Creek, prompting the closure of Highway 2 between Seppola Drive/RR 80 and Center Avenue.

Visibility along open sections of the highway was severely reduced due to smoke.

The fire is presently under control, spanning 3.0 hectares. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Since April 18th, a fire restriction has been in place for the Slave Lake Forest Area, suspending all fire permits and prohibiting campfires in random camping areas or backcountry.

The fire north of Clairmont is now under control.

County of Grande Prairie and Alberta Wildfire fire crews will be working in the area again today to extinguish hot spots.

County of Grande Prairie Fire Services responded to the fire around 7:45pm on Saturday. The fire was located north of Township Road 730 between Range Road 53 and 54. Three homes in the area were actively protected by fire crews. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The wildfire danger for the Grande Prairie Forest area is HIGH.

A fire restriction is in effect in northwestern Alberta in the Forest Protection Area surrounding the communities of Valleyview and Grande Prairie and west of the Peace River.

Under this restriction, all existing fire permits are restricted, suspended or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued.

Spring is the time of year when wildfires are 100 per cent preventable. Most if not all of the wildfires we see at this time of year are human caused.

Last night County fire crews responded to a wildland fire located near Township Road 700 between Range Road 112 and 113 near Elmworth. This fire was caused by a holdover fire that reignited and quickly spread due to the high winds. 

Crews were able to contain the wildland fire, and roads were re-opened to traffic shortly before 10pm.

No injuries were reported. 

The County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service is urging the public to use caution after crews responded to several fires.

Over the past nine days, crews attended over 14 brush fire calls, including campfires, yard cleanups, and fires escaping fire pits.   

The County of Grande Prairie remains under a fire advisory due to extremely dry conditions and lack of rainfall, resulting in increased fire hazards. No new burning permits will be issued until conditions improve. Residents need to refrain from burning, if possible, to mitigate the risk.