Crews in Banff National Park squash small wildfire sparked by illegal campfire
Posted Jul 23, 2024 8:02 am.
Quick action is being credited with stopping an illegal campfire in Banff National Park over the weekend from becoming much worse.
In a post to social media, Banff National Park says on Sunday, July 21 around 9 a.m., Parks Canada crews responded to a report of a small wildfire in the park, near the Johnson Lake Day-Use Area.
Officials believe the fire was caused by an illegal campfire started along Johnson Lake Trail.
“Luckily, the fire was reported early in the morning and our fire crew members were able to action quickly and extinguish the fire before it spread out of control,” the social media post read.
Banff National Park, like much of Alberta, is under a fire ban due to extremely hot and dry conditions.
Those who have a campfire during a fire ban can face a fine up to $25,000 and are also putting people in the national park at risk, officials say.
“You don’t want to be the reason a serious wildfire is started; respect the current fire ban and keep our first responders and communities safe,” the park added.
If you see someone having a campfire anywhere in Banff National Park during a fire ban, report it to Banff Dispatch at 403-762-1470.
