Sixty-three ‘suspected industry-related’ quakes recorded near Dawson Creek in July

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Sixty-three small earthquakes have been recorded near Dawson Creek last month. 

For comparison, there was only one such event reported in the area during the entire month of June. 

According to Collin Paul, a seismic analyst with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the seismic events were located roughly 20km northwest of the city.

While most were minor and unlikely to be felt, their concentration and location suggest a link to nearby industrial activity, according to Paul.

“Given the proximity to ongoing industrial activity and the region’s seismic history, these events have been marked as suspected industry-related,” said Paul in a statement to Energeticcity.ca.

However, he clarified NRCan does not determine the specific causes of seismic events. 

“That responsibility lies with the British Columbia Energy Regulator (BCER), which has access to detailed information on industrial operations.”

In a statement issued to Energeticcity.ca, the BCER said it “continuously monitors induced seismicity and takes action when required,” especially in high-activity zones like the Kiskatinaw Seismic Monitoring and Mitigation Area, which includes Dawson Creek.

In this area, any fracturing operations must stop immediately if a seismic event exceeds magnitude 3.0. So far, none of the recent quakes have crossed that threshold.

The BCER says it uses 35 monitoring stations across the province and requires companies to consult with nearby residents in higher-risk areas like Farmington.

This comes after there were four earthquakes in five days near Fort St. John earlier this year, the least significant of which recorded a magnitude of 3.1.

A public webmap shows real-time seismic data and fracking activity. More info on BCER’s seismic rules is available here.