Grande Prairie Forest Area - June 08, 2025 - 5:00 pm

GBZ001 (Kiskatinaw River wildfire) - County of Grande Prairie expands its evacuation order and evacuation alert zones

Alberta Wildfire, the BC Wildfire Service, and the County of Grande Prairie continue operating under unified command to coordinate efforts in containing the Kiskatinaw River wildfire (GBZ001/G70422) which remains classified as out of control. The unified command is also working closely with the Peace River Regional District to ensure a coordinated regional response.

Winds from the south and southeast between 1 am and 3 am increased fire behaviour overnight, particularly on the northeast corner of the fire. Despite these conditions, the north side of the fire held. Night-vision helicopters remained active throughout the night, conducting bucketing operations to help limit the fire spread.

Hot, dry, and windy conditions today are expected to lead to extreme and unpredictable fire behaviour. Temperatures are expected to reach 26°C, with humidity falling to 23%. Southwest winds will increase through the day, gusting up to 65 km/h. While a cold front is forecast to pass through between 7 pm and 8 pm, a shift in wind direction from southwest to west may begin earlier this afternoon. These shifting winds could drive rapid fire spread and cause sudden changes in fire direction and intensity. Today is expected to bring challenging conditions for firefighters.

The County of Grande Prairie expands evacuation order and evacuation alert zones

Today, on June 8, 4:20 pm – The County of Grande Prairie has expanded its evacuation order and evacuation alert. For your safety, it's critical to follow all evacuation instructions, as wildfire conditions can change rapidly. Stay informed and be prepared to act immediately.

• Alberta residents - for more details, visit the Alberta Emergency Alert website or download the app. Detailed updates are also available on the County of Grande Prairie website and Facebook page.
• British Columbia residents - visit the Peace River Regional District website or their Facebook page.

Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership assisting evacuees

The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership remains activated and is assisting evacuees living within the County of Grande Prairie. Updates can be found on their webpage and Facebook page.

Grande Prairie Forest Area statistics

Since January 1, there have been 39 wildfires in the Grande Prairie Forest Area, burning a total of 115 hectares.

Learn more about active wildfires, their locations and stats on the interactive map on our wildfire status page.

Evacuation preparedness

Have an emergency plan in case you and your family need to evacuate. Individuals and families should be prepared to take care of themselves for at least 72 hours. Be sure to also plan for your pets and livestock in case of an evacuation. 

• Evacuation alert: Issued when there is a potential threat. This gives residents time to prepare so they are ready to act quickly by packing essentials, collecting important documents, fueling vehicles, making arrangements for pets and livestock, etc.
• Evacuation order: Issued when there is an immediate risk to life or safety. Residents may be directed to leave the area immediately—there may be no time to gather belongings.

Wildfire smoke

Smoke may be visible and settling over our communities. Visit firesmoke.ca to see where the smoke is coming from. 

If you have smoke-related health concerns, call 811 or visit the Alberta Health website. 

Illegal use of drones near wildfires

Flying a drone near or over a wildfire endangers our pilots and forces us to ground aircraft, causing delays in firefighting operations. You could face a hefty fine for putting aircraft and people at risk. Please give our firefighters the space they need to do their jobs safely. 

For more information visit Transport Canada. 

Contact info

Kassey Zatko
780-538-5327
[email protected]