The first line of the nearly 30 kilometre fire break southeast of Grande Prairie has been completed. According to both the city and County of Grande Prairie, dozens of pieces of local contractor heavy equipment finished up the work of the up to 100 metre wide fire mitigation effort between May 16th and May 23rd.
Officials say depite the incredibly wet conditions in the region currently, crews will continue to work across the line, in some places widening the firebreak to as much as 200 metres in width.
The firebreak, according to the municipalities, is mainly on crown land, extending east from Evergreen Park, north to Aspen Ridge, and south to the Wapiti River. It extends south of Evergreen Park and west to Highway 40.
Recreational users of the Evergreen Ridge Recreation Area are being urged to continue to use caution and avoid any area under construction for the time being. The firebreak construction is set to cost approximately $7.5 million, with $5 million coming from the provincial government, and the rest split between the city and County of Grande Prairie.