ALERT: Effective at 2pm on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service will be issuing a Fire Ban for the entire County, along with the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith and Wembley.
Town of Wembley Fire Advisories, Restrictions and Bans
Updated - June 5, 2025
Fire Ban Issued
Effective at 2pm on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service will be issuing a Fire Ban for the entire County, along with the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith and Wembley.
Existing burning permits are suspended, and no new fire permits will be issued until the ban is lifted.
Under the ban, all fires currently burning must be extinguished. The ban also prohibits wood fires in engineered facilities in campgrounds, the lighting and display of fireworks or the use of exploding targets and the lighting of any fires in County operated parks and campgrounds
The fire ban will remain in effect until conditions improve. Read more about the current fire ban status at www.countygp.ab.ca/fireban. View all current fire restrictions and bans in place across the province at www.albertafirebans.ca.
| 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 of Wembley do NOT require a fire permit for recreational fire pits. Fire advisories, Fire Restrictions and Fire Bans put in place by the County of Grande Prairie DO apply within Town limits. 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.
Are you located outside the Town of Wembley? Residents in the County of Grande Prairie require a valid fire permit for any burning, including recreational fire pits, burn barrels, incinerators, and brush piles.
To contact a Fire Guardian about obtaining a fire permit in the County of Grande Prairie, click the link here - County of Grande Prairie Fire Guardians.
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
Updated June 8, 2025 at 22:39hrs
Extreme Wildfire Danger
The wildfire danger is EXTREME in the Grande Prairie Forest Area due to hot, dry and windy conditions. A wildfire will ignite very easily in these conditions and can quickly grow out of control. Avoid all outdoor activities that have the potential to spark a fire.
A Fire Ban is in effect for the forest protection area and the County of Grande Prairie including the Towns of Wembley, Sexsmith and Beaverlodge.
GBZ001 (Kiskatinaw River wildfire) - Aggressive fire behaviour due to weather
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.
Aggressive fire behaviour began early this morning and intensified throughout the day, driven by strong west-southwest winds and the arrival of a cold front. Growth was primarily wind-driven, but direct sunlight further increased fire intensity once cloud cover cleared. On the south side of the fire, fire behaviour was more moderate through most of the day as convection within the centre of the fire pulled activity northward, which helped to limit growth to the south. This evening, the southeast finger of the wildfire grew rapidly and crossed into Alberta. The northern section had already entered Alberta days ago, making this the second point of border crossing.
Tomorrow will be another challenging day, as winds remain elevated, and conditions remain dry.
For the latest information on this wildfire and others in B.C., visit the BC Wildfire Service website.
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 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.
Fire ban
A fire ban remains in effect for the Grande Prairie Forest Area. Under this ban, all outdoor wood fires are prohibited and existing fire permits are suspended.
Prohibited:
- All outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public and private land, designated firepits and backyard firepits
- Barbecue charcoal briquettes
- Fireworks and exploding targets
Allowed:
- Propane fire pits and natural gas-powered appliances
- Indoor wood fires
- Open flame oil devices
The fire ban will remain in place until conditions improve. For details and updates, visit albertafirebans.ca.
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.
Published on June 8, 2025 10:39 pm
Published on June 8, 2025 22:39hrs via: https://www.alberta.ca/wildfire-update-grande-prairie-forest-area
__________________________________________________________________________
TODAY'S FIRE DANGER FOR THE COUNTY OF GRANDE PRAIRIE AREA IS