Town of Wembley & County of Grande Prairie
- Fire Advisories, Fire Restrictions and Fire Bans -
FIRE ADVISORY IN EFFECT: MAY 9, 2026 @ 0800am
County Upgrades Fire Advisory to Fire Restriction
Effective at 8:00 am on Saturday, May 9, 2026, the County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service will be issuing a Fire Restriction for the entire County, along with the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith and Wembley. The Fire Restriction replaces the former Fire Advisory issued on May 5, 2026. The restriction is in effect due to warmer temperatures forecasted for the region.
While the fire restriction is in effect, no new fire permits will be issued. Only approved fire pits, burn barrels, or industrial bins may be used for burning, and only within proper enclosures. Please note within the Town of Wembley, campfires are still permitted within approved fire pits under this restriction. A fire permit is not required within Town limits when burning in an approved pit. (See below for fire pit requirements)
Those who have an approved permit issued in the County of Grande Prairie must follow permit guidelines and safe burning practices, including always remaining on site until burning is complete. Town and County Residents are reminded that burning is never permitted when winds reach, or are forecasted to reach, 12 km per hour or higher.
County residents are also encouraged to check any burn piles from this winter to ensure they are fully extinguished. This can be done by inserting a metal rod or other metal tool into the pile and surrounding ground to check for heat. Burn piles may appear out but can continue to smolder underground, even through winter conditions, and may re-ignite months after the original burn.
The County will continue to monitor weather conditions. Any updates will be posted on the County website at www.countygp.ab.ca/fireban.
For safe burning practices, visit the Fire Services webpage or contact Regional Fire Service at 780-532-9727.
Background Information
Depending on the conditions, the County of Grande Prairie uses the following tiered system to temporarily limit activities that may lead to wildfires. Fire advisories, restrictions, or bans can reduce human-caused wildfires.
- Fire Advisory: This is a warning level that the fire danger rating has increased. Fire permits may be restricted.
- Fire Restriction: A fire restriction prohibits the use of wood campfires on public land but does allow wood campfires inside provincial campgrounds and private property in an approved fire pit, including inside County campgrounds. Fire permits may be restricted, suspended, or cancelled, and no new fire permits will be issued.
- Fire Ban: A fire ban prohibits wood campfires on public land, campgrounds, and private land, including backyard fire pits. Fire permits will be suspended or cancelled, and no new permits will be issued.
| Fire Hazard Level | Description |
|---|---|
Fire Ban | A fire ban prohibits wood campfires on public land, campgrounds, and private land including backyard fire pits. Fire permits will be suspended or cancelled, and no new permits will be issued. |
| Fire Restriction | A fire restriction prohibits the use of wood campfires on public land but does allow wood campfires inside provincial campgrounds and private property. Fire permits may be restricted, suspended, or cancelled and no new fire permits will be issued. |
| Fire Advisory | A fire advisory is issued if the fire danger rating has increased. Fire permits may be restricted. Safe campfires are allowed in campgrounds and backcountry or random camping areas, but this level is a warning they may be restricted if the situation doesn't improve. |
| No Restriction | Normal burning rules apply. |
Fire Permits
Residents in the Town limits of Wembley do NOT require a fire permit for recreational fire pits. All fire advisories, fire restrictions and fire bans put in place by the County of Grande Prairie DO apply within Town limits. It is your responsibility to ensure you know when, where and what you can burn. Always check verified websites or sources for information related to fire bans. For the Town of Wembley or the County of Grande Prairie, you can find always find more information related to burning by Clicking Here or by typing "County of Grande Prairie Fire Bans" into your internet search engine.
When in doubt, call the Wembley Fire Department or the County of Grande Prairie directly.
Wembley Fire Department : 780-766-3170
County of Grande Prairie Administration Building: 780-532-9722
Industrial burn permits are issued on a case-by-case basis within town limits. For any questions regarding industrial burning, please contact the Wembley Fire Department directly at 780-766-3170.
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for a list of materials that are not permitted to be burned within Town limits, or to learn more about the Wembley Fire & Emergency Services Bylaw 753.
Are you located in the County of Grande Prairie? Residents in the County of Grande Prairie typically require a valid fire permit for burning including recreational fire pits, burn barrels, incinerators, and brush piles during fire season. To see if you require a fire permit for your area within the County please click the link - County of Grande Prairie Fire Guardians.
*Please note that fire permits for the County of Grande Prairie cannot be issued by contacting the Wembley Fire Department directly. To obtain a fire permit, you will need to contact a County of Grande Prairie Fire Guardian for your division. Homeowners/Landowners who contact the Wembley Fire Department directly for fire permits within the County will be provided with one of the phone numbers listed below*
County Division #4 & Division #5 (Wembley East & West) - Fire Permits
Tim Hoekstra: 613-312-7999
Logan Stacey: 780-512-3026
Lynda Ost: 780-296-2825
Town of Wembley Fire Pit Criteria
In the Town of Wembley, a residential fire pit must meet the following criteria:
- A minimum of 3-metres (10ft) of clearance, measured from the nearest fire pit edge, is maintained from buildings, property lines, or other combustible material
- A minimum of one and a half times the height of the fire pit of noncombustible material surrounding the outer perimeter of the fire pit
- The fire pit height does not exceed 0.6 meters (2ft) when measured from the surrounding grade to the top of the pit opening
- The fire pit opening does not exceed 1 meters (3ft) in width or in diameter when measured between the widest points or outside edges
- The fire pit installation has enclosed sides made from bricks, concrete blocks, heavy gauge metal, or other non-combustible materials
- A spark arrester mesh screen with openings no larger than 1.25 cm (0.5") and constructed of expanded metal (or equivalent non-combustible material) is used to cover the fire opening in a manner sufficient to contain and reduce the hazards of airborne sparks
- The fire pit is not located over any underground utilities or under any above-ground wires
Forest Protection Area (FPA)
Published on May 15, 2026 at 13:04
High Wildfire Danger
The wildfire danger remains high in the Grande Prairie Forest Area. While part of the forest area received rain, it was limited and much of the forest remains dry and extremely flammable. Use caution when recreating outdoors this long weekend and follow the fire advisory restrictions.
Wildfire Situation
Last night, Alberta Wildfire sent airtankers, helicopters and heavy equipment to BC to support suppression efforts for wildfire GBZ-001, located east of Highway 52, 13 km from the Alberta border. Good progress was made on containing the fire overnight and, this morning, Alberta Wildfire transferred command of the fire to BC Wildfire.
For more information on this wildfire and other wildfires in BC, visit BC Wildfire.
There are currently no active wildfires in the Grande Prairie Forest Area.
For up-to-date information on wildfire locations, status, size and statistics, visit the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard or download the Alberta Wildfire Status app.
Fire advisory
A fire advisory is in effect in the Grande Prairie Forest Area due to dry and windy conditions.
Under this advisory
- Existing fire permits remain valid
- New fire permits will be issued on a case-by-case basis
- Campfires are allowed
Prohibited
- Any burning without a valid fire permit is prohibited, except for campfires.
The fire advisory will remain in effect until conditions improve. Visit Alberta Fire Bans for more information and to view a map of the advisory boundaries.
Stay safe this long weekend
With an abundance of dead, dry grass and vegetation in the forest this May long weekend, please ensure you follow all campfire safety tips. Never leave your fire unattended and make sure your fire is completely out before leaving. Soak it, stir it and soak it again until the ashes are cool to the touch. All wildfires caused by an unsafe campfire are 100% preventable.
Fire permits are required for all burning except for campfires from March 1 to October 31. Violation tickets will be issued for burning without a fire permit.
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TODAY'S FIRE DANGER FOR THE TOWN OF WEMBLEY AND AREA IS