Fire ban issued for high-risk Jasper National Park

A fire ban has been issued for Jasper National Park due to elevated fire danger, parks officials said Tuesday.

The ban covers the entire park including all front and backcountrycampgrounds and day-use areas.

The Municipality of Jasper has also issued a fire ban for the Jasper townsite.

Under the ban, lighting or maintaining fires anywhere in the national park is now strictly prohibited, parks officials said in an information bulletin.

The ban includes all open fires except in approved portable propane fire pits;gas or propane stoves and barbecues designed for cooking or heating;propane or gas-fuelled lanterns; and patio heaters.

More information on the fire banis available here.

There are no wildfires in Jasper National Park right now, but smoke is drifting into the areafrom B.C. wildfires west and south of Jasper.

• Verdant Creek wildfire in Kootenay National Park grows 10-fold since Sunday

Information on the current fire danger rating in Jasper National Park can be found here.