Brush fire at southern Alberta tourist attraction prompts evacuation

A brush fire Thursday prompted the evacuation of asouthern Alberta tourist attraction,Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.

Fire crews douses the flames atthe site, which is west of FortMacleod on Blackfoot First Nation territory.

Several pictures and video on social media showthe scorched ground and burning shrubs, as well as smoke filling the air.

Kevin Heinrichs, who witnessed the bush fire,told CBC News hearrived at the location aroundnoon with plans to enjoy the attraction with his family.

"As we drove up, we saw smoke from a ways away. And as we got closer, we realized it was coming from the ground of the interpretivecentre," he said.

The interpretivecentre atHead-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is at the entrance of the complex.

Heinrichssaid it's hard to tell if there isdamage to the concrete buildings, but the grass around it had been scorched.

"It looks like the fire trucks are on scene putting it out," he said. "There's less smoke now than when we arrived."

He added that strong winds are fanning the smoke and flames to nearby grass and bush, but around 12 fire trucks are on scene and appear to have it under control.

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The buffalo jump was used for thousands of years by Indigenous peoples to kill the large animalsby driving them off the cliff, which is 11 metres (36 feet) high.