The open/closed yoyo of Highway 93, because of the Wardle wildfire in Kootenay National Park, has rolled back to open this morning (August 12).

A travel advisory is in effect for the highway from Castle Junction (Highway 1) to Radium Hot Springs.

Travel is recommended between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. The highway may be closed anytime without advanced notice to insure safety for motorists. Drivers should anticipate reduced speed and possible delays, DriveBC reports.

When Highway 93 is open, the portion of the highway from the Paint Pots to Olive Lake is a no stopping zone for the safety of the public and fire personnel.

Motorists should be prepared to wait at road blocks intermittently or long-term with little notice.

Travellers should be prepared with enough fuel and supplies in case they are required to turn around and take an alternate route via Highways 1 to Golden and then Highway 95 south to the Columbia Valley and East Kootenay. Highway 3 via Crowsnest Pass in Alberta is another route to access the region from Alberta.

Parks Canada reports it continues to manage the Wardle wildfire in Kootenay National Park, now at 2,800 hectares in size, and notes no local communities are at risk from the Wardle wildfire.

Today, 157 personnel, 12 helicopters and eight pieces of heavy equipment are working the fire.

After a short period of cooler, more humid weather, the long-term forecast is for hot and dry weather, which may increase wildfire activity, Parks Canada warned in an August 12 update.

“Fire crews and heavy equipment continue to work to establish containment lines to help stop the spread of the Wardle wildfire in the Vermilion valley. Crews are also clearing fire-weakened trees along Highway 93 and helicopters are intensively water bucketing the fire perimeter. Holding operations have been used on Mount Wardle to remove fuel ahead of the fire, successfully limiting the growth of the fires southward into the Kootenay Valley. Similar plans are in place elsewhere and will be undertaken only under ideal conditions,” Parks Canada explained.

The following factors are evaluated when closing and opening the highway: The risk of falling trees onto the highway; anticipated movement of fire in the area; heavy amounts of smoke that could affect visibility.

WHAT IS OPEN (INCLUDING DURING HIGHWAY 93 CLOSURES):

North Kootenay National Park

Vista Lake to Twin Lakes trail

Boom Lake trail

Great Divide day-use area

Stanley Glacier trail

Marble Canyon day-use area and campground

Paint Pots day-use area

Storm Mountain Lodge

Shadow Lake Lodge

South Kootenay National Park

Radium Hot Pools

Kootenay Valley Viewpoint

Juniper loop / Redstreak trail

Redstreak Creek and Kimpton Creek trails

Kindersley/Sinclair Loop

Redstreak Campground

AREA CLOSURES:

All trails, backcountry campgrounds and day-use areas remain closed from Rockwall trail south to Cobb Lake trail, including Kootenay River day-use area, McLeod Meadows Campground, Dog Lake trail, Kootenay River boat access and Kootenay Park Lodge.

Check DriveBC for up-to-date road conditions.

e-KNOW

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