Rain and cooler temperatures have prompted officials to remove a fire ban in Waterton Lakes National Park at a time when fire crews from both sides of the 49th parallel launch an offensive attack on a neighbouring forest fire.
The fire ban was enacted on Thursday as firefighters and helicopters from Parks Canada and the U.S. National Parks Services attempted to extinguish a wildfire on Campbell Mountain in Montana’s Glacier National Park.
On Friday, campers on the Canadian side of the U.S.-Canada border were told to anticipate a one hour evacuation notice. The warning notice has since ended.
As of Sunday morning, the fire covers approximately 10 hectares of land. The efforts of five crews and three helicopters are preventing the fire from spreading.
Several sections of Waterton Lakes National Park have been closed to visitors including:
- Lakeshore trail
- Bertha Lake trail (scheduled to reopen Monday, August 17)
- Alderson Lake trail
- Carthew-Alderson trail (scheduled to reopen Monday, August 17)
- Boundary Creek trail
- Summit Lake trail (scheduled to reopen Monday, August 17)
- Pass Creek day use area
In Montana’s Glacier National Park, the U.S. National Parks Services has closed the following areas:
- Boulder Pass trail
- Boundary trail
- Waterton Valley trail
- Goat Haunt Shelter backcountry camping
- Waterton River campground
- Kootenai Lakes campground
- Janet Lake campground
- Lake Francis campground
