Sunday, May 4, 2025, 5:45 p.m. – The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) has issued an Evacuation Order and Alberta Emergency Alert due to a wildfire burning east toward Highway 40, south of the City of Grande Prairie limits.

Residents across the Grande Prairie region now have a direct source for emergency updates. The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) has launched dedicated social media accounts to provide timely, accurate information during wildfires, floods, and other large-scale emergencies.

Residents are encouraged to follow @gprepalerts on Facebook and X, as all official communication from GPREP will be shared on these channels during an emergency.

In past emergencies, municipalities were asked to share social media updates provided by GPREP Information Officers in charge of managing communication at the Incident Command Centre.

“The new social media pages are a step towards enhancing our communications efforts with the public during active emergencies, providing timely updates, critical information and a reliable platform for the community when it matters most,” said City of Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton. “By having this tool easily accessible and available for the public, we hope to reach those impacted by emergencies with the information they need even faster.”

“During an emergency, access to timely and reliable information can make all the difference,” said County of Grande Prairie Reeve Bob Marshall. “By launching these GPREP-specific social channels and strengthening our communication strategy, we are providing trusted sources for updates when it matters most.”

“Having a social media handle across multiple platforms, will make it easy to get reliable and up-to-date information during an emergency,” said the Town of Beaverlodge Mayor Gary Rycroft. “Streamlining the delivery is a great way to do that.”

“We want every resident to have access to information that helps them feel safer, informed, and empowered,” said the Mayor of Sexsmith Kate Potter. “The GPREP-specific social media channels allow this to happen and will be incredibly beneficial during future regional emergency situations.”

“Ensuring our residents have access to timely and accurate information during emergencies is a top priority,” said the Mayor of Wembley, Kelly Peterson. “These new social media platforms will serve as a vital tool to keep our community informed, safe, and prepared when it matters most. By improving our communication channels, we are committed to providing clear and reliable updates that residents can trust in critical situations.”

To learn more about GPREP visit: gprep.ca.

About GPREP
The Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) plays a pivotal role in our region’s ability to respond to emergencies efficiently. As a collaborative effort among the City of Grande Prairie and County of Grande Prairie, and the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith, and Wembley GPREP coordinates resources, training and response strategies to address large-scale emergencies or disasters.

Updates

Supports at the Grande Prairie Reception Centre at Holiday Inn & Suites will be amalgamating into the Edmonton Reception Centre  on Saturday, August 24.

For evacuees requiring transportation back to Jasper, please complete this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MJ88Y5F.

For evacuees who can transport themselves, the Edmonton Reception Center address is Kennedale Site Building 2, 12814-58 Street, Edmonton.

Updates

Jasper’s re-entry plan begins today. Full details here: https://www.jasper-alberta.ca/. 

Evacuees returning to Jasper from Grande Prairie are asked to please check-out at the front desk of the Reception Centre at the Holiday Inn and Suites.

Evacuees are eligible to return to Grande Prairie after re-entering Jasper if they need to extend their stay. They must re-check in at the front desk of the Holiday Inn and Suites.

GPREP is now operating the Reception Centre fully remotely.

GPREP staff will be available on-site during meal times (11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for supper) to register any newly arriving evacuees.

Alberta Health Services will also be available on-site during meal times to provide mental health support and counselling services.

Service Canada and the Red Cross representatives are no longer available on-site.

Updates

• 336 evacuees are currently registered in Grande Prairie.
• The Reception Centre, located at the Holiday Inn and Suites  (9816 107 St.) is reducing its hours to 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. on weekends, including the statutory holiday on Monday.
• Red Cross is available on-site at the Reception Centre during its open hours to provide support with emergency funding registrations and other supports for evacuees.
• Alberta Supports is available on-site at the Reception Centre over the weekend from 12 p.m.- 4 p.m. 

Updates

• The reception centre, located at the Holiday Inn and Suites, hours are reduced to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning today, July 31.
  • Posters and instructions at the front desk are on-site for any evacuees that arrive after-hours.
• The Town of Jasper released re-entry criteria on the municipal website, which highlights the essential service and safety requirements that need to be met before re-entry can take place. There isn’t currently a re-entry date. Details:
  • https://www.jasper-alberta.ca/p/re-entrycriteria
• 321 evacuees are currently registered in Grande Prairie.

Updates

• 307 evacuees are currently registered in Grande Prairie. 
• Starting July 31, the Canadian Red Cross will begin distributing $750 in one-time financial assistance per household for people evacuated from their primary residence in Jasper. This financial assistance is made possible thanks to the generosity of people who have contributed to the Canadian Red Cross 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal. 
• To access this assistance, people must be registered with the Red Cross. 
• People who have not yet registered with the Red Cross are encouraged to do so online or by calling 1-800-863-6582 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. MT. 
• More details can be found here: bit.ly/3Wr9PcH 

Updates