Sunshine Village prepares to reopen as crews battling Verdant Creek wildfire move on

Crews fighting the Verdant Creek wildfire burning in Kootenay National Park are decamping from the Sunshine Village resort, which they have been using as a command base for the past week, says Parks Canada's incident commander.

The fire has grown to about 13,500 hectares but it remains on the British Columbia side of the Continental Divide, said Jane Park at a briefing Tuesday morning in Banff.

"It doesn't pose a direct threat to any of the communities in the Bow Valley or the Columbia Valley," she said. 

Sunshine Village spokesperson Kendra Scurfield says the plan is to start welcoming guests back to the resort's lodge by Wednesday evening.

"Of course, the fire is somewhat unpredictable and is proving to be a bit stubborn, so we are hopeful that everything will go as planned," she said. 

The wildfire reached Highway 93 South on the weekend because of strong winds from the east and north, with blowing embers igniting spots fires along the route.

But crews were able to keep the highway open on the weekend after a brief closure late Friday afternoon.

"We're pleased to say that we worked really hard to ... make sure it was safe for the public, and we kept it open for the most part through Sunday, Monday, when we experienced the heaviest traffic on that highway," Park said.

"We're trying to keep the fire east of the highway and east of the river." 

Sprinklers have been put up around Kootenay Park Lodge, a resort with several cabins in the Vermilion Crossing area just off Highway 93.

"We are prepared in terms of protecting that facility and other facilities," Park said.

Drivers should check www.DriveBC.ca and www.alberta511.ca for temporary closures, alternate routes and the most up-to-date information, Parks Canada says. 

The fire has been burning since July 15 in Kootenay National Park and Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. There are now 130 personnel and seven helicopters fighting the blaze. 

When the fire's northern flank reached within two kilometres of Sunshine Village on the Alberta side, officials ordered the resort to close last Monday for the second time in as many weeks. Fire crews took over the resort as their command centre.

Scurfield says the two impromptu evacuations have been challenging, but Sunshine Village was able to work with hotels in Banff to arrange alternate accommodation for its displaced guests.

"For some of our staff members it's been a challenge because they haven't been able to get the hours that they need," she said.

Park says officials are now confident that crews will be able to battle the blaze from the west in Kootenay National Park and from the east in Banff National Park. 

Because of the fire, the following areas are closed to the public:

In Kootenay National Park:

• Area northwest of Honeymoon Pass Trail including Hawk Creek Trail and Kootenay Park Lodge
• Verdant Creek and Simpson River area
• Southern portion of the Rockwall Trail from Floe Lake trailhead on Highway 93 South to Tumbling Pass, including Floe Lake and Numa Creek backcountry campgrounds

In Banff National Park:

• Ball Pass area from the junction of Whistling Pass
• Sunshine Village and Sunshine Village Road
• All trails in the Egypt Lake area, including Healy Pass, Citadel Pass and Sunshine Meadows
• Brewster Creek area drainage
• Backcountry campgrounds Re16, E13, E5, Su8 and BW10

A fire ban covers Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks because of the elevated fire danger.

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