Parks Canada is urging the public to obey closures and bans issued because of the Verdant Creek wildfire as they head into the long weekend.
Scroll down to read which areas are closed in Banff and Kootenay national parks
That includes the closure of Highway 93, which DriveBC said had been shut down again as of 2 p.m. PT on Friday.
WATCH: News Talk 770’s Aurelio Perri was one of the travellers turned back after Parks Canada shut down Highway 93 due to a wildfire.
The service said the road was closed in both directions from Radium Hot Springs to the British Columbia-Alberta border, with no estimate as to when it would reopen. An update is next expected at noon on Sunday.
“Parks Canada will continue to monitor the situation and open the road as soon as it is safe to do so,” spokesperson Christie Thomson said in a statement Friday afternoon.
WATCH: Jane Park from Parks Canada explains the difficult terrain firefighters face at the Verdant Creek wildfire
Several other closures are being enforced in Banff and Kootenay national parks to keep firefighters and visitors safe and to prevent the start of more fires.
READ MORE: More closures in Banff, Kootenay national parks as wildfire burns
WATCH: Jane Park from Parks Canada stresses the importance of adhering to park closures and fire bans this long weekend.
“It’s very important that the public adhere to those closures,” Parks Canada incident commander Jane Park said Friday.
“When we have to divert attention or divert resources to try to clear those areas or to assess potential illegal fires, it does pull away from our efforts on the actual wildfire itself.”
You can check Drive BC and Alberta 511 for the latest traffic information
Park added it’s difficult to monitor a fire and increased visitor traffic on a long weekend at the same time within the parks, but safety of everyone in the parks is the top priority.
The Verdant Creek wildfire, which has grown significantly to cover 11,000 hectares, has not crossed into Alberta yet, however the province is being greatly impacted by the blaze.
READ MORE: Highway 93 open to B.C. Alberta border following closure due to wildfire smoke
A fire ban is in place across much of southern Alberta and several trails, backcountry campgrounds and facilities are closed in the parks to allow firefighters to get ahead of the flames and keep more fires from starting.
Check albertafirebans.ca for the most up-to-date information or call 1-866-FYI-FIRE (1-866-394-3473)
What’s closed as of Aug. 4:
In Banff National Park:
- Ball Pass area from junction of Whistling Pass
- Sunshine Village and Sunshine Village Road
- All trails in the Egypt Lake area, including Healy Pass, Citadel Pass and Sunshine Meadows
- Brewster Creek area drainage
- Backcountry campgrounds Re16, E13, E5, Su8 and BW10
In Kootenay National Park:
- Area northwest of the Honeymoon Pass Trail including the Hawk Creek Trail and Kootenay Park Lodge
- Portions of the Rockwall Trail beginning Saturday, Aug. 5
For the latest updates from Parks Canada, click here
With files from Erika Tucker
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