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Wildfires

More evacuees can return home tomorrow; GPREP still activated

Jun 11, 2019 | 3:09 PM

The province says more people forced to evacuate because of wildfires will be allowed to go home tomorrow.

Around 3500 evacuees will be going back to Wabasca-Desmarais and the Bigstone Cree Nation.

Fire watchers say conditions have improved, although there is still heavy smoke in places.

One of the fires in that area has burned over 260,000 hectares.

Nearly 300 evacuees remain in Grande Prairie, according to the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership. Evacuation orders remain in place for Paddle Prairie, Sandy Lake and Chipewyan Lake Village.

GPREP says the priority has shifted to arranging for transportation for those residents returning to their homes. The public information line for GPREP is still active and available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 780-567-5587.

This is now the longest activation for GPREP ever, which started back on May 20.