As of 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon, approximately 535 properties have been evacuated due to an out-of-control wildfire, according to Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP).
Residents were first given notice to evacuate Saturday evening south of the City of Grande Prairie.
Nineteen properties are currently on alert in the county, said GPREP.
There are 108 active wildfires in the province and 11 in the Grande Prairie area.
GPREP was activated on Friday when the county declared a local state of emergency.
Currently, the evacuation notice in the county includes all residents from Township Road 712 south to the Wapiti River and Highway 40 to Range Road 75.
Alberta Emergency Alert evacuation notices have also been given to Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and M.D. of Greenview, and it covers all of Sturgeon Lake and north of Highway 43 and east of Young’s Point Road, including Cozy Cove and Boyd's Lakeshore Properties.
Hwy. 43 is closed from Bezanson to Valleyview at 1:38 p.m. due to the wildfires.
A wildfire alert was issued to the Grovedale area west of Hwy. 40 and south of the Wapiti River, no evacuation notice as of Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.).
In Saddle Hills County, the Fourth Creek area has an out-of-control wildfire between TWP 840 and Peace River between RR 75 and RR 85.
Out of control wildfires
As of Friday at 8 p.m.:
The wildfire (GWF019) is 50 km south of the city, 21 km from Hwy 40 and is 7,500 ha in size.
The wildfire (GWF020) is 18 km south of the city and is 50 ha in size.
The wildfire (GWF018) is 15 km east of Cleardale and is 2,000 ha in size.
The wildfire (GWF017) is 6 km west of Valleyview and is 1,000 ha in size.
Alberta Wildfire is assisting the County of Grande Prairie with a mutual aid wildfire in the dunes area 8 km southeast of Dimsdale.
Additionally, Alberta Wildfire is assisting the MD of Greenview with a fire located 9.5 km south of Rycroft, with a fire estimated to be 50 ha in size.
