Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
effective June 9 as the current heatwave elevates the fire danger to "extreme."
The fire ban will apply to all day use areas, picnic sites, backcountry campgrounds and unsupervised frontcountry campgrounds within Jasper National Park.
Officials warn that聽vegetation can easily ignite, and a fire could spread quickly and be difficult to control.
"Parks Canada鈥檚 fire management specialists are monitoring current and forecasted conditions daily and coordinating with our municipal and provincial partners as well as the other mountain parks," Parks Canada stated in an update.
"A team of fire personnel and a helicopter are ready to respond in the event of a wildfire. They are conducting twice-daily patrols to check for wildfires, smoke and illegal campfires."
The following areas still allow campfires in designated fire pits:
- Jasper townsite
- Outlying commercial accommodations
- Whistler, Wapiti, Wabasso and Miette campgrounds
as temperatures reach 29 C or above over the past week.
Although rain is forecasted from Saturday onward, this heat is expected to continue into the weekend.
Residents and visitors should consider rescheduling outdoor activities to cooler hours of the day, taking frequent breaks from the heat, staying hydrated and checking for children or pets before exiting a vehicle.
Monitor for symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as high body temperature, lack of sweat, confusion, fainting and unconsciousness.
Report any wildfires, illegal campfires or suspicious smoke to Parks Canada Dispatch at 780-852-6155 or call 911.
