Waterton closes all but a few areas of the park due to fire concerns; Weyerhaeuser closes its lands, too

Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada has closed most of its lands due to wildfire except for the townsite inside the park and a few other areas, it announced yesterday.

Some areas remain open, including Pass Creek, Emerald Bay, Prince of Wales Hotel, Highway 5/6 including the entrance to the park, and the Chief Mountain Highway.

The closure is due to wildfire threat from the Kenow Fire.

The fire has not advanced further into the park but it continues to expand. There is no immediate threat, but this pre-emptive action allows the park to be ready for a forecasted change in weather in a couple days.

Parks Canada is actively managing parts of the Kenow Fire that have the potential to impact Waterton Lakes National Park. The fire ignited by lighting is primarily in British Columbia but started some small spot fires in Waterton at the park’s northwestern boundary near Sage Pass.

Closer to home, Weyerhaeuser announced yesterday it had closed all of its lands in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Missoula, Sanders and Ravalli counties in western Montana due to the extreme forest fire danger. The closure will remain in effect until further notice.