Banff’s Sunshine Village is set to become the “Verdant Creek firefighting command control centre” on Wednesday, the ski resort said in a statement.
WATCH: Twitter user @JoshMcDuff tweeted this footage of a wildfire burning near Sunshine Village.
Firefighters will stay at Sunshine Mountain Lodge, which means staff living on the mountain will be able to return home, the resort said.
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The lodge and Sunshine Meadows will be closed through the August long weekend at a minimum, so that firefighters can work without members of the public in the area.
The resort hopes to reopen to guests “early next week,” once the fire is contained in the North Simpson region.
“Our goal is that by housing the firefighters on site, they’ll be able to better access the firefighting regions and have a productive central command centre,” the resort said.
Wildfire smoke and fire suppression activities were affecting visibility on Highway 93 south through Kootenay National Park and the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) through Banff National Park, Parks Canada said in an update posted on Tuesday night.
“Highways will remain open as long as safe driving conditions can be maintained,” Parks Canada said in the online update.
“If smoke settles or thickens in the valley bottom, motorists should expect speed reductions, flagging personnel and pilot vehicles to ensure safe passage.”
Parks Canada estimated the fire to be about 5,100 hectares in size, with over 70 people and eight helicopters working to fight it. The BC Wildfire Service listed the fire at about 4,833 hectares on Tuesday.
WATCH: Video courtesy of Crown Land Productions shows heavy smoke drifting into Banff from the Verdant Creek Wildfire in B.C.
A fire ban remains in effect in Banff, Kootenay and Yoho national parks.
For the latest updates from Parks Canada, click here
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