BANFF – Firefighting crews stamped out a small fire in Banff National Park on Sunday (Aug. 11) less than 24 hours after the lightning-sparked blaze lit up the Carrot Creek area.
Parks Canada said the fire, which grew to 0.17 hectares near the Banff east gate, was extinguished by 1:30 p.m.
Reacting swiftly after the fire report came in on late Saturday afternoon, units responded to the upper slopes of the Fairholme range just west of Carrot Creek with two Parks Canada fire crews and an additional crew from Alberta Wildfire heading to the area and three water bucketings from helicopter.
“Thanks to the quick response and work of fire crews, the fire was brought under control that same evening, in just under 5 hrs of the initial fire detection,” a Parks Canada social media post stated.
The fire danger rating in Banff National Park has been bumped up to high; a fire ban continues to remain place inside the national park.
Reports of wildfires, illegal campfires or suspicious smoke can be called into Parks Canada’s emergency dispatch at 403-762-4506.
