Fire
Elk Island National Park
Fire is a natural process that helps to renew and recycle many types of Canadian ecosystems including the aspen parkland of Elk Island National Park, where prairie grassland meets aspen forest.
For updates on fire at Elk Island National Park, join the mailing list.
Find out if a fire ban is in place: check the important bulletins or call the Visitor Centre: 1-780-922-5790.
Prescribed fires
Parks Canada is creating a more diverse and resilient landscape in Elk Island National Park through its fire management program. Prescribed fires help maintain and restore ecological integrity, promote conservation and reduce the risk of wildfire to nearby communities. Resilient landscapes include a healthy combination of forests and grasslands that can persist in the face of climate change.
Prescribed fire operations will only be conducted when predetermined weather and site conditions are met. Safety is always the top priority when planning prescribed fire.
Visit the important bulletins page for area closures and important bulletins.
Restoration and maintenance prescribed fire complex
Date: Spring or Fall
Total area: individual areas up to 50 ha each
Location: Elk Island National Park
Additional details: The Restoration and Maintenance prescribed fire complex contributes to the restoration of grassland and forested habitats in the park by returning the process of fire to the landscape. The prescribed fire plans for spring are to ignite areas up to 50 hectares at a time as these areas reach the prescribed conditions.
Shirley Lake Prescribed Fire
Date: Spring/Fall
Total area: 928 ha
Location: Northwest corner of the park in the Shirley Lake area
Additional details: The Shirley Lake prescribed fire contributes to the restoration of grassland habitat in the area by returning the process of fire to the landscape. The prescribed fire plans for spring 2026 are to ignite small areas of less than ten hectares at a time as these areas reach the prescribed conditions.
Shirley Lake prescribed fire units in Elk Island National Park — Text version
This map shows the Shirley Lake prescribed fire units in Elk Island National Park.
The map has a legend in the top left corner and a scale of 0 to 1000 m in the bottom right. The inset on the left of the map depicts the entire park.
The units are located on the northwest side of the park, north of Oster Lake. The Southwest Unit is smaller and contains Shirley Lake. The Central Unit is larger and borders the Elk Island Parkway.
Hayburger Prescribed Fire
Window: Fall
Size: 428 ha
Location: The area inside of the Hayburger Hiking trail loop: North of the Bison Loop on the east side of the parkway
Additional details: The Hayburger prescribed fire contributes to increasing grassland and native vegetation, improving grazing for ungulates and restoring the natural fire cycle.
Hayburger prescribed fire unit in Elk Island National Park — Text version
This map shows the Hayburger prescribed fire unit in Elk Island National Park.
The map has a legend in the top right corner and a scale of 0 to 1000 m in the bottom right. The inset in the bottom left depicts the entire park.
The unit is located centrally to the east of the parkway north of the Bison Loop and contains the area inside of the Hayburger Hiking trail loop.
Benefits of Fire
Fire creates openings in the forest, allowing soil to warm and stimulating new growth from seeds and roots, gives native trees and plants an opportunity to get established and can help stop the spread of disease and invasive plants and insects.
Wildfire Prevention
Parks Canada is an active member of FireSmart™ Canada. FireSmart™ Canada is a community protection program. The program focuses on how individuals and communities can work together to reduce the risk of loss from wildfires in communities across Canada. Learn more here.
Human-caused fires are preventable. All visitors play an important role in helping us stop wildfires before they start. You can safely enjoy a campfire in Elk Island National Park by following these guidelines.
Report any wildfires, illegal campfires or suspicious smoke to Parks Canada Dispatch at 1-877-852-3100 or call 911.
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