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Peavine Creek & Boone Lake Complex Wildfire Update #3 – County Regional Fire Service continues to support provincial agencies in responding to area wildfires; asks public to avoid areas 

The County continues to support BC Forestry and Alberta Wildfire as the lead agencies responding to the Peavine Creek Wildfire and with Alberta Wildfire and Saddle Hills County to monitor the Boone Lake Complex Wildfire.   

The public is urged to avoid active wildfire areas and give crews the room they need to work. County Regional Enforcement Services was dispatched yesterday to remove members of the public that were impacting firefighting efforts.  

Evacuation Alert 

  • In response to the Peavine Creek Wildfire, the evacuation alert for residents near Preston Lake remains in effect for everyone located north of Township Road 732, west of Range Road 131, and south of Township Road 742. Affected residents should be prepared to evacuate with one hour’s notice.  

  • All residents in the evacuation alert area have been contacted, including livestock owners to discuss Emergency Response Plans. 

 
Weather Conditions  

  • Crossover conditions are forecasted for Friday and Saturday which could lead to extreme fire behaviour over the weekend.  

  • A fire ban is in place for the County, towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith and Wembley due to the hot and dry weather conditions and active wildfires. 

 
Peavine Creek Wildfire Status 

  • The Peavine Creek Wildfire remains just east of the BC-AB border in the County of Grande Prairie. Crews were able to complete an aerial survey of the fire and noted no additional growth to the east overnight.  

  • Alberta Wildfire is working with BC Forestry as the lead in responding to this wildfire. County Regional Fire Service and Horse Lake First Nation are assisting with the response, at their request and under their direction.   

  • County and Horse Lake First Nation firefighters are prioritizing the protection of structures in the area.    

  • Yesterday, crews established a 20 meter wide fire guard southwest of Preston Lake that ties into existing roads for an additional layer of protection for properties. 

  • Regional Fire Service were educating residents in the evacuation alert area on working to Fire Smart their properties, which helps reduce the impact and spread of wildfires. They were happy to see some residents had already started this work. 

The following is the official information update provided by BC Forestry:  

 

Boone Lake Complex Wildfire Status 

  • The County is also monitoring the Boone Lake Complex, two wildfires located in Saddle Hills County.  

  • County Regional Fire Services resources are staged in La Glace, and ready to respond as needed. 

  • The County has been in touch with livestock owners in the Homestead area to discuss Emergency Response Plans in advance. 

The following is the official information update provided by Alberta Wildfire:   

  • The Boone Lake Complex is made up of two fires and the total area involved is 4,800 hectares.  

  • Fire 35 is located 20 km north of Valhalla Center near the northeast side of Boones Lake. It remains 5 km from the County of Grande Prairie border.  

  • The fire is estimated at 1,000 hectares and is classified as out of control. 

  • For updates on this fire, visit Alberta Wildfire. 

 

Emergency Preparedness Tips  

All residents are reminded to prepare themselves for possible emergencies.  

Use FireSmart Actions to help protect your home, livestock enclosures, and barns. 

  • Remove items that can burn from within 1.5 metres (5 feet) of your home, such as: 

    • Dried branches 

    • Leaves 

    • Lawn furniture 

    • Firewood 

    • Debris 

    • Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms on every floor and near sleeping areas 

  • Keep a sprinkler in an easy to access location 

  • Be careful when smoking outside, extinguish fire pits and burn barrels, and obey local fire bans 

  • Have a pet and livestock plan in case of evacuation Include where they will go and how they will get there. 

  • In the case of evacuation, never leave your pet behind.  

  • Do not lock livestock in barns or other enclosures if you believe a fire is approaching.  

  • Residents requiring assistance with large animals should contact the County’s Agriculture Department for support from the Livestock Emergency Response at 780-567-5584 and immediately enter extension number 2588. 

An evacuation ALERT is a warning for people to prepare for possible evacuation on short notice. Residents who have been placed on evacuation alert are advised to:   

  • Arrange accommodations. 

  • Pack all important documents, medications, food, water, and important supplies, to be away from your home for seven days. 

  • Have a plan for your pets. 

  • Plan for transportation and make sure your vehicles are full of gas.  

The current alert will be updated with further instructions if the situation progresses. For more details on preparing for wildfires and evacuations, visit Wildfire preparedness | Alberta.ca. 

 

Next Update  

The next scheduled public update is planned for the morning of Saturday, June 10 unless conditions dictate a need for an earlier update.  

Where to Find Updates 

Please note that there are no current plans for a call centre over the weekend. Residents are encouraged to stay tuned to the following channels for information updates: 

 

Related Information 

 

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Media Contact:  
Communications 
County of Grande Prairie 
communications@countygp.ab.ca