UPDATE: The Alberta Energy Regulator has ordered a stop to fracking operations in the Fox Creek area as investigators look into the cause of Tuesday’s quake.
An earthquake was felt in the Fox Creek area this morning. Natural Resources Canada says the ground shook at 11:27 a.m., just west of the town near Crooked Lake at latitude 54.46 North and longitude 117.27 west. The quake registered at a 4.5 magnitude and was lightly felt in Fox Creek with no reports of damage.
The area was hit by a series of low level seismic events around this time last year, which were possibly linked to fracking activity. In response, the Alberta Energy Regulator issued new requirements for hydraulic fracturing operators around Fox Creek. Any earthquakes over two on the Richter scale must be reported, and a response plan put into place.