Wildfire west of Banff continues to move south but is not growing in size, says Parks Canada
Closures remain in both Kootenay and Banff national parks as wildfire dangers spark fire bans
Fire crews battling the wildfire west of Banff say they have managed to prevent it from spreading in key locations, according to Parks Canada.
While the flames continue to move south into B.C.'s Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, which is just west of the Alberta border, the size of the Verdant Creek fire hasn't changed since Thursday — holding at roughly 2,500 to 3,000 hectares.
"The fire remains on the west side of the Continental Divide, approximately 24 kilometres from the Town of Banff and approximately 2.5 km from Sunshine Village," said Parks Canada in a release.
"It is not currently threatening any local communities."
- 'Tactical closure' of Sunshine Village to help crews battle wildfire near Banff
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However, closures remain in both Kootenay and Banff national parks, specifically the Egypt Lake and Brewster Creek areas.
Sunshine Village was closed Friday to serve as a staging area for crews. There 75 people and six helicopters currently battling the flames.
A fire ban remains in effect for all mountain national parks to avoid human-caused fires.
- See the latest information on the Verdant fire
- 'Know before you go': B.C. urges Albertans not to cancel vacations, just proceed with caution
Trails and backcountry campsites remain closed but the agency says there are still areas in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks that are open to visitors.
A few suggested areas are:
- Silverton Falls.
- Rockbound Lake.
- Marble Canyon.
- Stanley Glacier Trail Shadow Lake Lodge and other tourism operations in the area remain open.
- Hawk Creek Trail to Ball Pass as well as Redearth Trail to Ball Pass both remain open at this time.
