Grande Prairie Area Update

A fire ban is in effect as of 4 p.m. on July 10 in the entire Forest Protection Area of Alberta, including the Grande Prairie Forest Area, due to hot and dry conditions.

Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands (such as national parks), are exempt from this ban. These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place.

Widespread crossover conditions are expected. Crossover occurs when the relative humidity is lower than the temperature and this is an indicator of extreme wildfire behavior. In these conditions, a wildfire can still start easily and spread quickly.

Visit Alberta Fire Bans to see if a fire ban or restriction is in place in your area.

Wildfire Information

Since January 1, 2024, 40 wildfires have been reported in the Grande Prairie Forest Area burning nearly 181.41 hectares.

GWF038 located in the Deep Valley area, just off the Encana 1510 Road. This wildfire is currently listed as under control and is burning under the ground. Crews are working with a water truck and hand tools. The cause of this wildfire is under investigation.

GWF039 located 21 kilometers northwest of Debolt. The local fire department and Alberta Wildfire responded. This wildfire is currently listed as under control.

To report wildfire call 310-FIRE (3473).

Under this fire ban:

• All fire permits are suspended or cancelled.

• No new fire permits will be issued.

• Some allowances can be made for essential agricultural and industrial burning, if approved by a forest officer.

Prohibited:

• All outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public land, private land, designated campgrounds, and backyard firepits.

• Barbeque charcoal briquettes.

• Fireworks and exploding targets.

Allowed:

• Propane/ natural gas-powered appliances.

• Indoor wood fires inside a structure (such as a facility, building, tent or RV) and contained within a device with a chimney and spark arrestor.

• Open flame oil devices (such as deep fryers and tiki torches). All devices must be CSA approved and used per manufacturer’s standards.

The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve.

2023 carryover wildfires

Firesmoke.ca is an online tool that tracks wildfire smoke. Visit this site to view where the smoke is coming from and how long it is expected to linger. If you have health related concerns, please call Health Link at 811.

Keep off highway vehicles properly maintained and when working or recreating in the Forest Protection Area (FPA), be prepared to extinguish an accidental fire by having water and a shovel available.

Call 310-FIRE (3473) to report a wildfire in a forested area.

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Some types of siding materials, such as vinyl, can melt when exposed to high temperatures, allowing the fire to reach the underlying wall components and penetrate the interior of the building. To learn more, check out this FireSmart fact sheet: Siding

When wildfire danger is low to moderate, updates will be issued weekly. However, when the danger escalates to high or extreme levels, updates will be provided daily if fires are active and/ or out of control.

Expect your next wildfire update on July 11, 2024, unless conditions change.

Kelly Burke | Wildfire Information Officer

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  Subscribe to the Grande Prairie Forest Area wildfire update to receive an email when new information is posted.

  Phone: 1-866-394-3473