Banff National Park of Canada

Fire & Vegetation Management

Carrot Creek Fuel Break Protecting downwind communities Update: May 27, 2008

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Spring prescribed fire operations are now complete in the Carrot Creek Fuel Break. Banff National Park fire specialists took advantage of optimal weather to burn 180 hectares of grass, slash piles and trees. Weather conditions helped disperse smoke out of the valley.

This is the first maintenance burn in the Bow Valley-wide fuel break. Frequent low-intensity fires must be carried out in various areas of the fuel break every few years to reduce accumulations of dead grass. Fire stimulates moisture-rich plants (eg. fireweed and vetches) which are preferred as forage by wildlife.

Typical Fire Behaviour at Carrot Creek in April
© Parks Canada

The existing Carrot Creek fuel break helps to protect the downwind communities of Harvie Heights and the Town of Canmore from a wildfire originating within Banff National Park. This key segment will contribute to a future Bow Valley-wide fuel break developed in partnership with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.

Parks Canada is confident that the prescribed fire will help improve wildlife habitat in the Fairholme Ecologically Sensitive Site – a voluntary closure area which protects critical montane habitat. The maintenance burn is also a key element to increasing public safety for downwind communities. Thanks to Banff National Park users and Bow Valley residents for their cooperation during the Carrot Creek prescribed fire. A legal area closure, implemented for public safety reasons during the prescribed burn, has now been lifted.

For more information visit our website at www.pc.gc.ca/banff-fire or contact Ray Schmidt, Fire Information Officer, Banff Field Unit at 403.762.144

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