Wildfire spreading in Banff National Park
An out- of- control wildfire in Banff National Park has grown to about 300 hectares, prompting crews to set up sprinklers to protect a warden’s cabin and prevent its spread down the Clearwater Valley onto provincial lands.
Early Tuesday, the fire was spotted on the north slopes of Snarl Peak, about 80 kilometres north of the Banff townsite.
Now dubbed the Snarl Peak wildfire, officials said it has grown to 300 hectares from about five hectares when it was first reported.
“This is a dry year,” said Ray Schmidt, fire communication officer with Banff National Park. “We need a lot of rain to really put it out.”
Cooler, rainy weather is forecasted in the coming days.
Fire crews from Banff, Mount Revelstoke- Glacier and Prince Albert national parks continue to fight the fire through indirect techniques such as ignition and aerial support from three helicopters.
They are also setting up sprinklers on the ground to protect the Indianhead warden cabin and a cultural site nearby. Another sprinkler line is being set up near the national park’s boundary to prevent any spread onto provincial lands.
It’s still about eight kilometres west of the boundary, Schmidt said.
Crews did a thorough sweep of the backcountry, but there was no one in the immediate vicinity. The area, which normally allows random camping for registered visitors, has been closed until further notice.
“It’s really remote,” Schmidt said, noting they get only a handful of visitors into the area each summer.
A fire ban, rare in the national parks, remains in place for Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper. The ban in Mount Revelstoke- Glacier National Park was lifted Monday night.