The County of Grande Prairie lifted the five-day mandatory evacuation order for residents in Kleskun Creek on the afternoon of May 15th and in response, Fire Chief Trevor Grant shared some insights on how to stay safe when returning home in a wildfire-affected area.

According to Chief Grant, both County and Alberta Wildfire crews will continue operating in the area during the coming days, and as a result, returning residents are asked to be mindful of their presence.

“The county resources are probably going to diminish over the coming days, but Alberta Wildfire will be there for probably a few weeks, monitoring, hot-spotting,” he says.

Additionally, the County Fire Chief is asking residents to stay aware of the various hazards that come with returning to an active wildfire area.

“When people get home we want them to be very aware of the conditions around their properties, and don’t be going into the fire area,” he says. “We have some really kind of dangerous situations that are in there- trees that may have burned through the roots and might fall down during wind gusts, or the ash pits which we talked a lot about after the Dunes West wildfire.”

Chief Grant emphasizes the importance of staying away from the fire area as ash pits remain a very real threat in the fire zone. Grant says as fire burns into an area, underground pits can form which can be invisible to the unaware, leading to the risk of falling into an ash pit which can result in serious injury.

“Be mindful of the crews that are still working, and watch out for those hazardous situations around trees and assets,” he says.

Residents returning home remain under a one-hour evacuation alert, and are asked to remain aware that an order could be implemented on short notice, should the wildfire risk change.

The Grande Prairie Fire Department is reminding residents that despite the wet weather ahead of the May long weekend, a city-wide fire ban remains in place.

The ban encompasses all fire pit areas, both on public and private land as the risk of wildfire remains high. The city says adhering to the ban is “essential” for the safety of the community and its surroundings.

“The recent rains, while welcome, do not offset the prolonged period of dry conditions that have heightened the fire risk,” Acting Fire Chief Mike Anderson says. “We need everyone’s commitment to follow these restrictions to protect our community.”

Negligence or willful non-compliance can result in a fine up to $10,000 and a detailed list of what is and isn’t permitted during the ban is available on the Alberta Firebans’ website.

Alberta Blue Cross has released a message of support for residents affected by wildfire evacuations.

According to the Blue Cross, the organization will continue to ensure plan members evacuated from their homes due to the wildfires across the province will receive “uninterrupted” coverage.

The Blue Cross says “special measures” are in place to ensure members will have continued access to health coverage when they need it while they are away from their homes.

Plan members with mental health coverage are encouraged to reach out to programs and providers for assistance. Additionally, all Albertans, plan members or not, can access numerous mental health resources through the Alberta Blue Cross website.

Alberta Blue Cross members impacted by evacuations who require early prescription refills will be allowed to do so, and other healthcare providers such as dentists, chiropractors, and physiotherapists are able to call Alberta Blue Cross to confirm the identity of a member should a plan member not have an ID card.

In addition to these services, the Blue Cross says they are working closely with AHS to ensure coverage is uninterrupted for participants in Alberta Government programs administered by the Blue Cross.

Numerous city facilities will see adjusted hours of operation during Victoria Day on May 20th.

Among the affected facilities, City Hall, the City Service Centre, Bonnetts Energy Centre, Montrose Cultural Centre, the Grande Prairie Museum, Dave Barr Community Centre, Activity and Reception Centre, and Cedar Point will all be closed in recognition of the holiday.

The Ernie Radbourne Pavillion, Eastlink Centre, and Design Works Centre will remain open during holiday hours from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Transit will operate on holiday hours, the same as Sunday hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for regular service. Late night on-demand service will operate from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Additionally, due to Cedar Point’s closure, Community Social Development, Housing and Homelessness Initiatives, Enforcement Services, Mobile Outreach, and the Grande Prairie Police Service will be affected as well.

After a weeks-long process, the Holy Family Catholic Regional Division Board of Trustees made a motion to support the request from parent delegates to begin the process of transferring St. Thomas More Catholic School to the HFCRD.

The transfer will see St. Thomas More K-12 School now under the leadership of the Peace River based board with support from the Grande Prairie Catholic School Division and the Provincial Minister of Education.

According to a recent survey conducted by Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools in April, 67 per cent of staff surveyed said they wished to stay with the GPCSD, while 33 per cent indicated they would consider working with the HFCRD.

On the parent side, only 16 per cent of St. Thomas More families said they wanted to stay with the GPCSD, while 84 per cent expressed interest in making the switch to the HFCRD.

The survey included 12 staff respondents and 73 family respondents.

Last month the economic region, including Grande Prairie, reported the second-lowest number of people unemployed across the province.

According to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate for the Athabasca – Grande Prairie – Peace River region was 5.3 per cent, a .2 per cent uptick from March, but a .6 per cent decline from the same month in 2023.

Across the province, Calgary reported the highest unemployment rate at 7.9 per cent and the Camrose-Drumheller region recorded the lowest unemployment rate at 4.4 per cent. The number of people unemployed in Alberta saw a 0.7 per cent bump from March to April, with a reported rate of 7 per cent, up just over a percentage from April of last year.

County residents evacuated due to the ongoing wildfire situation near Teepee Creek can now return home after a five-day evacuation period.

The blaze burning near Teepee Creek is classified as being held, and given the current weather conditions, is not expected to grow past expected boundaries. The county says crews will continue to work and monitor the affected area.

The evacuation order has been downgraded to an alert for the areas of Township Road 741 to a quarter section north of Township Road 734 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River. In contrast, the alert for the areas of Township Road 742 to 741 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River is cancelled.

Officials say residents in the alert area must be prepared to leave their homes in one hour if fire conditions worsen.

The City of Grande Prairie is hosting the second-ever Here Comes Summer event to welcome in the warm season.

The celebration will see numerous offerings to attendees such as free swimming at the Aquatera Outdoor Pool from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., a free community barbecue, outdoor games with prizes, roaming entertainment, and roller skating demonstrations.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the Here Comes Summer event marks the season change in a fun and celebratory way while providing a sense of community among residents.

“We look forward to opening up the Muskoseepi Park seasonal facilities for a summer full of outdoor adventures and memorable moments in our beautiful city,” she says.

The event also marks the Aquatera Outdoor Pool season opener, and information regarding schedules, bookings, and more is available on the city’s website.

Here Comes Summer is scheduled for June 7th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Prices for properties in the Grande Prairie real estate market continued to trend upward in April.

According to the latest report from the Alberta Real Estate Association, in April the total average price for the area was $334,390, which is a 6.2 per cent increase. While the year-to-date average residential price in the Grande Prairie market is $326,228, which is a four per cent uptick from the same period in 2023.

In April 156 properties sold, with the majority of properties being detached homes. However, the 17 semi-detached properties sold equalled a 240 per cent increase compared to the same month last year. For April, the market’s sales-to-new-listings ratio rose to nearly 85 per cent, with 184 new listings going live.

The County of Grande Prairie has created a guide to assist evacuees returning home as progress continues on the Teepee Creek wildfire.

Highlights from the guide include things to watch out for upon returning home such as avoiding fire crews who remain active in response to the wildfire and what to do when a resident first returns home.

The county says while no utility services have been disrupted, residents are encouraged to check gas, water, and electricity to ensure they are working. Additionally, upon re-entry, it is recommended to run both hot and cold taps for “at least” five minutes to remove stagnant water.

Smoke remains a concern for the area and residents are encouraged to be mindful of smoke contamination with the county saying “Do not throw anything away until you contact your insurance company.”

The county reduced the size of the evacuation alert at 3:30 p.m. on May 14th to include residents located on Township Road 742 to 741 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River. Despite the good news, residents located on Township Road 741 to a quarter section north of Township Road 734 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River remain on evacuation order.

The MD of Greenview has issued its final update on the North Goodwin Area as conditions continue improving.

According to the MD of Greenview’s Emergency Management Department, conditions have improved enough to downgrade the evacuation order for the North Goodwin area to a two-hour alert. Residents who return home will remain on a two-hour alert as a precaution in case conditions worsen.

“Everyone in the North Goodwin area west of Range Road 21, between Township Road 734 and Township Road 741 may now return home,” the MD says.

Firefighting operations continued yesterday with night-vision helicopters reporting a “significant reduction” in active hotspots compared to previous nights.

Despite the reduction in hotspots, firefighters report challenging fire behaviour due to high winds. The MD says the blaze was quite active yesterday; however, additional firefighting resources were deployed to help with cold trailing and hotspot extinguishing.

All residents in the MD of Greenview are encouraged to stay prepared for a potential evacuation on short notice throughout the hazardous season.

The public is being asked for help locating a missing 21-year-old man who was last seen in the area of Little Buffalo on Monday, May 13th.

According to Peace Regional RCMP, they are concerned for Dominic Laboucan’s well-being and safety. Laboucan was last seen around 2:30 p.m. on Monday walking toward the bushes behind his home.

He is described as being roughly 5’7″, weighing around 220 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. The 21-year-old was last seen wearing a burgundy hoodie, black shorts and DC brown boots. According to police shoes believed to belong to Laboucan have been found in the bushes and no one is aware of his having other shoes with him.

Anyone who has seen Laboucan or who has information about his whereabouts is asked to contact RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

The public is being asked to keep their eyes open for a 33-year-old man wanted on a plethora of charges.

According to Peace River RCMP, they along with the Western Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit are looking to locate Kyle Edward Daniel Ominayak. Mounties say that he is wanted on weapon and theft-related charges, including pointing a firearm, forcible confinement and theft of a motor vehicle.

The Atikameg, Alberta resident is known to frequent the Little Buffalo and Cadotte Lake. He is described as being 5’7″, weighing roughly 170 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Police say he also has ‘Ominayak’ tattooed on his back across his shoulders.

Anyone with information on the 33-year-old’s whereabouts is asked to contact RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

The wildfire perimeter near Teepee Creek has not seen any growth over the past 24 hours, and as a result, the County of Grande Prairie has decreased the size of some evacuation zones.

As of 3:30 p.m. the county relaxed some of the previously affected zones including residents living in the areas of Township Road 742 to 741 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River.

Despite the decrease in size of the affected areas, residents located from Township Road 741 to a quarter section north of Township Road 734 and Range Road 32 to the Smoky River remain on evacuation order.

Re-entry information is available on GPREP’s website. Checkpoints are still in place and any questions regarding a resident’s specific area should be directed to the county’s information line at 1-(825)-606-5166.

Officials say hot spots have been identified in the centre of the wildfire zone which is causing visible smoke in the area; however, crews have reinforced the north side of the perimeter.

Grande Prairie City Council has directed city administration to redesign and reinstall three service club signs to be placed at the new city boundaries.

According to the city, the project will be funded through the Transportation Department’s operating budget and aligns with council’s plans to build an inclusive community through the enhancement of visibility of service organizations in the city.

Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the new signs represent the variety of volunteer-led service organizations operating in the city.

“Updating and relocating them will help ensure that our community’s spirit is highlighted while acknowledging the valuable role these clubs play,” she says.

The redesign process will include the consideration of input from stakeholders to ensure the new signs represent each club’s contribution to the city. The updated signs will be placed at the city’s new limits to make a positive impression on visitors to the city.

The city says details on the timeline and final designs will be made public once they are finalized.

After a milestone-filled year, the Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection took a second to reflect on 2023-24 during their annual report to Grande Prairie City Council.

Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection Executive Director Karna Germsheid highlighted numerous landmark moments for her organization during her presentation, including launching numerous tools such as their new website.

“It was a really fun year for the Grande Prairie Regional Sport Connection,” she says.

According to Germsheid, the overall rebrand of the organization and the addition of the sport registration option on the new website stand out as key milestones for the GPRSC.

“The sport registration list allows the community to seek out registration information and connect with sport organizations in the region,” she says. “If I’m a parent out there looking to connect my child to sport and I don’t know what’s happening in June I can just go to the registration list.”

Germsheid says the website has seen “tons” of engagement and has already proven to be a success with more than 5,000 sport registration list uses since its launch. The Executive Director says the website serves as a useful tool for not only athletes and parents, but coaches and volunteers as well.

“People are using it for other things as well,” she says. “It has information on upcoming training opportunities, whether it’s board training for volunteers, or if you’re a coach looking for training.”

The Sport Connection is no stranger to events, and Germsheid says this upcoming year will be no different with signature events like Try It Day continuing alongside a brand new adult-focused event.

“The community loves Try It Day as we do, it’s very close to our heart, we had hundreds of kids go through different sport organizations, and the sport organizations do such a bang-up job in receiving those kids and offering such great service in the community,” she says. “Try It Day is still youth, and I know the adults keep asking for it, but we’re looking to add a fun tournament weekend to get people together and more of a social connection piece of the sport framework.”

An official announcement regarding the new event has not come out yet; however, Germsheid says the tournament will function as both a fundraiser and a social event for everyone involved.

The Teepee Creek wildfire perimeter has not seen any growth since the County of Grande Prairie’s last update.

Crews have identified numerous hotspots in the centre of the blaze, causing visible smoke in the area. Wildfighter personnel will continue reinforcing the perimeter established early this morning.

Checkpoints are in place and residents are reminded to contact the county’s call centre at 1-(825)-606-5166 to determine if it is safe to enter.

The evacuation order in the areas of Kleskun Creek North to Township Road 742 and the Riverstone Golf Course remains in effect and is being actively enforced by the RCMP.

Good news out of Valhalla as the blaze that started 13 kilometres northwest of the hamlet has been classified as being held for a number of days. The county says mopping up will fall on Alberta Wildfire as county crews have been pulled from the operation.

No further updates will be issued regarding the Valhalla wildfire.

Environment Canada has continued its special air quality advisory for the Grande Prairie region as wildfire smoke is expected to return to the area Tuesday into Wednesday.

Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.

Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations. Continue to take actions to protect your health and reduce exposure to smoke.

People with lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke.

Stop outdoor activities and contact your health care provider if you or someone in your care experiences shortness of breath, wheezing (including asthma attacks), severe cough, dizziness or chest pains. Stay inside if you are feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms.

Keep your indoor air clean. Keep your doors and windows closed if the temperature in your home is comfortable. Use an air purifier with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter in a room where you spend a lot of time. Avoid air purifiers that produce ozone. Check the filter and change it if required. For more information visit Wildfire smoke 101.

The County of Grande Prairie has confirmed the fire perimeter around the Teepee Creek wildfire has not seen any new growth since 9:00 a.m. this morning.

Hotspots have been identified in the centre of the Teepee Creek wildfire zone and are causing visible smoke in the area.

In response to the evacuation of the area, the county has issued a list of local mental health support options for residents. Residents experiencing mental health strain are encouraged to contact the Grande Prairie Aberdeen Centre, the Alberta Addiction Helpline at 1-(866)-332-2322, Kids Help Phone, the AHS Integrated Crisis Access Team at (587)-259-5513, and others.

The evacuation order remains in effect for the areas of Kleskun Creek North to Township Road 742, and the Riverstone Golf Course. The areas of Township Road 744 to 750 and Range Road 32, and Township Road 744 to 730 and Range Road 32 remain under evacuation alert; however, no order has been implemented thus far.

“Intense” firefighting operations continued throughout the day yesterday as crews continued battling the wildfire burning near North Goodwin in the MD of Greenview.

Officials say night vision helicopters successfully extinguished hotspots overnight alongside ground crews who worked to secure the fire’s perimeter.

To boost the response, Alberta Forestry is establishing an incident camp to accommodate additional resources that will arrive over the next two days.

Officials say firefighting teams are now focused on reinforcing fire guards, cold trailing, and extinguishing any remaining hotspots.

Current fire behaviour is described as “extreme,” due to strong southeast winds gusting at up to 40 kilometres per hour in the area. Additionally, the MD says no precipitation is expected in the next 24 hours which could pose some challenges for new fire starts.

A fire ban remains in effect throughout the Grande Prairie Forest Area, and residents are asked to monitor any old burn piles for heat to ensure they can be dealt with in a timely manner.