Current wildfire status

November 17, 2025:

The wildfire is now fully EXTINGUISHED.

October 7, 2025:

Parks Canada continues to monitor the Panther River wildfire, which remains active but smouldering in the backcountry of Banff National Park. The fire is approximately 8.5 ha in size and is burning slowly within the 2018 Panther Meadows prescribed fire area. It is being allowed to burn naturally to support ecological objectives.

Recent cooler temperatures and precipitation have reduced fire activity, allowing Parks Canada to amend the Area Closure and reduce its footprint. The wildfire is helping remove coarse woody debris and promote meadow development, which supports bison habitat.

Fire crews report low fire behaviour, with no threat to public safety or park infrastructure. An area closure remains in effect until further notice.

September 17, 2025: 15:00 MT

Parks Canada continues to closely monitor the Panther River wildfire, which remains active in the backcountry of Banff National Park. The fire is approximately 11 ha. Growth has been slow, and Parks Canada is allowing it to burn as it is contributing to ecological objectives in the 2018 Panther Meadows prescribed fire area.

The wildfire is helping remove coarse woody debris and support the development of meadow complexes that benefit bison habitat. Fire crews continue to report low fire behaviour, with no risk to public safety or park infrastructure. An area closure remains in effect until further notice.

Parks Canada continues to monitor the Panther River wildfire in the backcountry of Banff National Park, allowing for ecological benefits in key bison habitat. Fire crews have reported low fire behaviour and there continues to be no risk to public safety or infrastructure. The area closure remains in place until further notice.

Further updates will only be shared if the situation changes or when the fire is extinguished.

Parks Canada continues to monitor the Panther River Wildfire within the backcountry of the national park. Parks Canada fire crews have reported low fire behaviour – with no significant growth, the small wildfire is currently 5.8 ha (0.58 km²). Under current and forecasted conditions, the wildfire is not likely to spread beyond its current perimeter under prevailing and forecasted conditions.

The Panther River area is deep within the backcountry, and no visitor infrastructure is at risk.

The cause of this small wildfire remains unknown. An area closure will remain in place until further notice and will be lifted once safe for re-entry. Backcountry camp sites remain open, but all backcountry users should be aware of the area closure and plan their routes accordingly.

On the afternoon of September 2, 2025, a small wildfire was reported near the Wigmore Valley, within the backcountry of Banff National Park. Parks Canada fire crews responded quickly, and significant progress has been made towards containment. The fire remains at 4.5 hectares in size. Today, three Parks Canada fire crews are continuing fire containment efforts with two intermediate helicopters providing aerial bucketing support. While the fire is currently classified as out of control, there is no risk to public safety at this time.

What do you need to know:

• Safety is our top priority; an area closure is now in place for the entire Wigmore Valley to ensure the public cannot access the area while fire operations continue. The valley closure will be removed once the area is deemed safe for re-entry. For more details, visit Important bulletins.
• NO DRONES - Do not be the reason for a delayed wildfire response. Unauthorized drone flights suspend aerial operations and put first responders and the national park in jeopardy.
• While not a result of this small wildfire, smoke is present in the Bow Valley, coming from other wildfires in the region and across Canada. For more information on the smoke forecast, visit: Firesmoke.ca

We thank the fire crews for their swift response and ongoing fire containment efforts. Our quick response was made possible by a timely report from a backcountry user in the area. We can all play a part in protecting the national park - report any wildfires, illegal campfires or suspicious smoke to Parks Canada Emergency Dispatch immediately: (403) 762-4506.

Further updates will be shared by Parks Canada should the situation or fire status change.

September 19, 2025: 9:00 MT

Thanks to the swift response and dedicated work by Parks Canada fire crews, we are pleased to report that the Moose Meadows wildfire is now extinguished.

The effective response to this wildfire is a clear demonstration of wildfire risk reduction work in action! Parks Canada has been doing wildfire risk reduction work in Banff National Park for decades, including in the Moose Meadows area with previous mechanical thinning in 2011 and a prescribed fire in 2016. These proactive and strategically placed treatments helped create a more resilient landscape by creating breaks in densely forested areas, making wildfire suppression more effective.

Mechanical thinning, logging & prescribed fire remove excess fuel on the landscape — making the national park more resilient and easier to defend. This is why Parks Canada, along with regional partners, works year-round to reduce the risk of wildfire to the national park and nearby communities.

For more information about wildfire risk reduction in Banff National Park, visit: Fire protection and restoration projects

September 8, 2025: 9:00 MT

The Moose Meadows wildfire is now classified as under control. With the current conditions, there continues to be no risk to the town of Banff, Lake Louise, or public safety. Further updates will only be shared if the situation changes or when the fire is extinguished.

September 7, 2025: 10:30 MT

The Moose Meadows wildfire is classified as being held, meaning that the wildfire is not likely to spread beyond its current perimeter under prevailing and forecasted conditions. With the current conditions, there continues to be no risk to public safety and the town of Banff and community of Lake Louise are not at risk.
Over the coming days, Parks Canada fire crews will continue work to fully extinguish the fire and smoke may continue to be visible from the Trans-Canada Highway and 1A. Visitors should use caution if travelling in the area.
This is the only information update planned for today, further updates will be shared if the situation changes significantly or once the fire is classified as extinguished.

What do you need to know:

• Parks Canada fire crews have secured the perimeter of the fire and, with the cool temperatures overnight, fire behaviour continues to be low. With the perimeter now contained, over the coming days fire crews will focus on cleaning up the interior of the fire area and work to fully extinguish the fire.
• The fire is classified as BEING HELD, it is in a previously burned and mechanically thinned area and there is no risk to public safety or infrastructure at this time.
• Safety is our top priority; an area closure will remain in place to ensure public safety as fire crews work in the area. For more information, visit: Banff National Park - Important Bulletins
• NO DRONES - Do not be the reason for a delayed wildfire response. Unauthorized drone flights suspend aerial operations and put first responders and the national park in jeopardy.
• The cause of this fire is currently unknown. This was not a result of a prescribed fire operation and there are currently no prescribed fires in Banff National Park.
• Updates will continue to be posted here on the Parks Canada website and on the Banff National Park Facebook page.

September 6, 2025: 20:30 MT

Thanks to the swift response and efforts by Parks Canada fire crews, the Moose Meadows wildfire is now classified as BEING HELD, meaning that the wildfire is not likely to spread beyond its current perimeter under prevailing and forecasted conditions. The fire remains at approximately 2 hectares in size. With the current conditions, there is no risk to public safety and the town of Banff and community of Lake Louise are not at risk. Smoke may continue to be visible from the Trans-Canada Highway and 1A. Visitors should use caution if travelling in the area. This is the final information update planned for today, the next update will be shared tomorrow, September 7th.

• Parks Canada fire crews have made significant progress today and, with temperatures cooling overnight, fire behaviour is expected to remain low. With the perimeter now contained, over the coming days fire crews will focus on cleaning up the interior of the fire and work to fully extinguish the fire.
• The fire is now classified as BEING HELD, it is in a previously burned and mechanically thinned area and there is no risk to public safety or infrastructure at this time.

September 6, 2025: 17:30 MT

Parks Canada continues to respond to a wildfire in the Moose Meadows area in Banff National Park. The fire is approximately 2 hectares in size, in a previously burned and mechanically thinned area, showing low fire behaviour with minimal spread. With the current conditions, the town of Banff and community of Lake Louise are not at risk, but smoke and some flames may be visible from the Trans-Canada Highway and 1A. Visitors should use caution if travelling in the area.

• Two Parks Canada fire crews are continuing fire containment efforts with 3 helicopters providing aerial bucketing support. While the fire is currently classified as out of control, it is in a previously burned and mechanically thinned area and there is no risk to public safety or infrastructure at this time. CPKC railway operations are not impacted by the wildfire at this time.

Parks Canada is aware of and responding to a small wildfire (approx. 2 ha.) near Moose Meadows in Banff National Park. With the current conditions, the town of Banff is not at risk, but the fire is visible from the Trans-Canada Highway and 1A, visitors should use caution if travelling in the area due to possible smoke. Further information will be shared shortly.

The wildfire is now fully EXTINGUISHED.

Thank you, again, to the fire crews from Town of Banff Fire Department and Parks Canada for their swift action. This is the final update related to this incident.

A wildfire was reported west of Vermilion Lakes in Banff National Park, adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway. Fire crews from the Town of Banff Fire Department and Parks Canada responded quickly and the fire is now under control. There is no current threat to public safety. Parks Canada fire crew members remain on scene to extinguish the fire.

We thank the fire crews for their swift response and will only provide further updates if needed.

This fire is believed to have been human-caused, potentially by the careless tossing of a cigarette. This serves as a reminder that during this time of year, grassy areas can be quite dry, increasing the risk of wildfires. We urge visitors to properly dispose of cigarettes when hiking, cycling or driving.