Grande Prairie Forest Area - June 09, 2025 - 10:30 pm

Wildfire situation

GWF028 - Evacuation order issued

First detected on May 22, wildfire GWF028 has increased in activity due to strong winds and dry conditions. It is located about 7 km northwest of Moonshine Lake Provincial Park, and is estimated at 300 hectares in size. Alberta Wildfire is actively responding with ground crews, heavy equipment and aircraft.  

This evening at 6:52 pm, Saddle Hills County issued an evacuation order. See the Alberta Emergency Alert website for evacuation zone information and further details. More information can be found on the Saddle Hills County webpage and Facebook page. 

Moonshine Lake Provincial Park has been evacuated and remains closed.

For everyone’s safety, the public is urged to avoid the area to allow emergency crews to work safely and without disruption. This remains a developing situation. Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

GWF040 - New wildfire south of Grande Prairie

Alberta Wildfire is responding to wildfire GWF040, located about 81 km south of the City of Grande Prairie and 19 km east of Highway 40. The wildfire is currently estimated at 280 hectares in size, with crews and aircraft on scene.

At this time the Forestry Trunk Road is closed from the Canfor Road (km 70) on the north to the Simonette Forestry Tower (km 126). As this is a dynamic situation, please refer to the latest road closure information that can be found on the MD of Greenview’s webpage and Facebook page.

GBZ001 (Kiskatinaw River wildfire) - Danger persists as wildfire remains out of control

Alberta Wildfire, BC Wildfire Service, and the County of Grande Prairie remain in unified command as they continue coordinated efforts to manage the Kiskatinaw River wildfire (GBZ001/G70422), which remains classified as out of control. The fire is estimated to be 21,679 hectares in size. The unified command is also working in close partnership with the Peace River Regional District to support a well-coordinated regional response.

Compared to recent days, winds are expected to ease slightly tomorrow, though temperatures will remain elevated and conditions will stay dry. Forecast highs range from 17 to 21°C, with minimum relative humidity between 15–25%. Winds are forecast to shift from north to east-northeast in the afternoon at 10–20 km/h, gusting up to 30 km/h. 

Drier fuels and poor overnight humidity recovery will support ongoing fire activity, especially in exposed areas and spruce stands. The wildfire continues to progress toward containment lines along the north side. On the northeast section, crews were working actively fighting fire, though operations were challenged by fire spotting ahead of the fire front.

If conditions allow, crews are preparing to conduct planned ignitions tomorrow to bring the fire to established guards. These operations will be supported by wildland fire crews and structure protection personnel. Crews are actively working to establish containment lines north and west of Kelly Lake, adjacent to the community, as well as structure protection and suppressing spot fires in the County of Grande Prairie.

For more information on this wildfire and others in B.C., visit the BC Wildfire Service website.

The Kiskatinaw River wildfire on June 8. Photo: B.C. Wildfire Service

The County of Grande Prairie's evacuation order and alert remain 

The County of Grande Prairie has an evacuation order and an evacuation alert in effect.  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 (GPREP) assisting evacuees

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

Road reports

Highway 43 is currently open but subject to change if conditions worsen. Please visit 511 Alberta for the most up to date Alberta road reports, and DriveBC for British Columbia roads. 

Grande Prairie Forest Area statistics

Since January 1, there have been 40 wildfires in the Grande Prairie Forest Area, burning a total of 597 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]