Prescribed fire update - September 26, 5:30 pm

On September 25 and 26, 2025, fire specialists took advantage of the good conditions to successfully complete additional ignition in the Porcupine Valley prescribed fire area.

Details:

• Operations consisted of using the aerial ignition dispenser to target small areas within the Porcupine Valley to increase the mosaic of burned and unburned patches. The additional burned area further achieves objectives identified in the prescribed fire plan.
• Fire specialists will monitor the prescribed fire area and complete mop up work. This is a normal part of prescribed fire operations.
• While ignition has ended, smoke will remain visible over the coming days. Overnight, as the air cools, smoke can drift down into the valley. Motorists should drive to conditions.

An area closure remains in effect for the Porcupine Valley, where ignition took place. This closure will be in effect until the area receives snow accumulation. The current area closure does not affect trails, roads or facilities. For a list of up-to-date area closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

This will be the final update for this prescribed fire, unless the situation significantly changes.

Additional information

Prescribed fire behaviour decreases after ignition because it's designed to do so. Prescribed fires are often timed to take advantage of cooler evening or overnight conditions in the days following ignition to naturally reduce fire behaviour and allow crews to secure the perimeter.

Prescribed fires are one tool Parks Canada fire management specialists use to protect communities, infrastructure, and neighbouring lands. Prescribed fires help lessen the fuel available to wildfires – this reduces their intensity, slows their spread, and makes them easier to control or extinguish. For more information, visit the Parks Canada fire management page.

Prescribed fire update - September 25, 4:30 pm

The Porcupine Valley prescribed fire unit has entered into another prescription window.

Conditions dependent, Parks Canada is making use of this window today (September 25, 2025) to continue ignition operations in the Porcupine Valley prescribed fire area.

Details:

• The current conditions provide an opportunity to further achieve objectives identified in the prescribed fire plan.
• Completing this ignition will increase the mosaic of burned and unburned patches within the valley.
• This is important for helping to restore the historic fire cycle in the Porcupine Valley, enhance habitat for grizzly bears and restore habitat for whitebark pine.

Residents, visitors and motorists can expect to see smoke in the area.

Ignition is planned for one to two days (Thursday September 25, 2025, and Friday September 26, 2025).

For safety, an area closure remains in place for the Porcupine Valley. For a list of up-to-date closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

Additional information

Parks Canada completes prescribed fires on Parks Canada-administered lands to help maintain and restore ecological integrity and biodiversity, to promote ecosystem conservation and restoration, and to reduce the risk of wildfire to nearby communities. Learn more on the Parks Canada fire management page.

Prescribed fire update - September 18, 2:30 pm

Effective today, September 18, the Mount Hunter Trail is now open to the public.

• The trail was closed during the Porcupine Valley Prescribed Fire.
• While there are still hot spots within the ignition area, conditions are safe to reopen the trail which falls outside of where the fire burned.

Please note: an area closure remains in effect for the Porcupine Valley, where ignition took place. This closure will be in effect until the area receives snow accumulation. The current area closure does not affect trails, roads or facilities. For a list of up-to-date closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

Some smoke may still be visible from the Porcupine Valley Prescribed Fire. Fire specialists continue to monitor the prescribed fire area and complete mop up work. This is a normal part of prescribed fire operations.

This will be the last update for this prescribed fire.

Additional information

Prescribed fire behaviour decreases after ignition because it's designed to do so. Prescribed fires are often timed to take advantage of cooler evening or overnight conditions in the days following ignition to naturally reduce fire behaviour and allow crews to secure the perimeter.

Prescribed fires are one tool Parks Canada fire management specialists use to protect communities, infrastructure, and neighbouring lands. Prescribed fires help lessen the fuel available to wildfires – this reduces their intensity, slows their spread, and makes them easier to control or extinguish. For more information, visit the Parks Canada fire management page.

Prescribed fire update - September 6, 8:30 pm

This will be the final update for this prescribed fire, unless the situation significantly changes. Further updates will be provided when it’s safe to remove the Porcupine Valley area closure.

This afternoon (September 6), specialists wrapped up ignition operations within the Porcupine Valley.

Today’s operations primarily consisted of using the aerial ignition dispenser to target small areas within the Porcupine Valley to help create a mosaic of burned and unburned patches —often called a heterogeneous burn mosaic. Creating a patchwork is important because it:

• creates varied habitats. Different species thrive in different conditions. Burned areas may attract species that prefer open, sunlit spaces, while unburned patches provide shelter and food for those needing dense cover.
• helps with forest regeneration. Unburned trees can drop seeds into burned areas, aiding natural regeneration.
• helps wildlife movement. A mosaic allows animals to move between different habitat types, increasing their chances of survival and maintaining healthy ecosystems
• increases fire resilience by reducing fuel loads. Burned areas remove excess vegetation, lowering the risk of severe future fires.
• aids in climate and landscape stability. Mixed burn patterns help maintain ecosystem services like water filtration, carbon storage, and erosion control more effectively than large, uniform burns.

Over the following days helicopters will be visible in the area while they assess the prescribed fire area and complete mop up work.

While ignition has ended, smoke will remain visible over the coming days. Overnight, as the air cools smoke can drift down into the valley. Motorists should drive to conditions.

For safety, an area closure remains in place. It includes the Porcupine Valley and Mount Hunter Trail. For a list of up-to-date closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

Prescribed fire update - September 5, 9:30 pm

Today’s (September 5) prescribed fire operation in the Porcupine Valley was successful. Fire specialists plan to continue minimal ignition work tomorrow before switching to mop up work.

Today and into tomorrow smoke and ash will be visible from the surrounding area. As the air cools smoke can drift down into the valley overnight. Motorists should drive to conditions.

Please take precautions if you’re sensitive to smoke and check local air quality updates regularly.

• Visit firesmoke.ca to see a smoke forecast.
• Visit airhealth.ca for information on how to reduce your health risk, as well as for current and forecast AQHI values.

For safety, an area closure remains in place. It includes the Porcupine Valley and Mount Hunter Trail. For a list of up-to-date area closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

A prescribed fire is used to imitate fires that would have naturally and regularly occurred in an ecosystem that is adapted to fire. This prescribed fire will:

• Restore and enhance habitat for grizzly bears and endangered whitebark pine.
• Restore the historic fire cycle in the Porcupine Valley.
• Reduce the risk of potential uncontrollable wildfire in the area.

Additional Information:

Prescribed fires are only conducted under specific conditions (e.g. weather, moisture, wind direction, supporting resources, etc.) and will only go forward when it meets the conditions outlined it its prescribed fire plan.

Prescribed fires are one tool Parks Canada fire management specialists use to protect communities, infrastructure, and neighbouring lands. Prescribed fires help lessen the fuel available to wildfires – this reduces their intensity, slows their spread, and makes them easier to control or extinguish.

Prescribed fire update - September 4, 9:15 pm

This afternoon (September 4), Parks Canada fire specialists started ignition on the Porcupine Valley prescribed fire. Parks Canada intends to continue work on the prescribed fire over the next couple of days, as conditions allow.

Smoke may be visible in the surrounding area.

Please note that the majority of smoke is from other fires burning in Western Canada. It is beginning to move into the region, and is expected to become denser and more visible in the coming days. Visit firesmoke.ca to see a smoke forecast. Please take precautions if you’re sensitive to smoke and check local air quality updates regularly.

Visit airhealth.ca for information on how to reduce your health risk, as well as for current and forecast AQHI values.

Tomorrow ignition may be visible. You may also see:

• Flames
• Smoke
• Water being dropped from helicopters

This is all parts of normal prescribed fire operations.

Additional Information:

Prescribed fires are only conducted under specific conditions (e.g. weather, moisture, wind direction, supporting resources, etc.) and will only go forward when it meets the conditions outlined it its prescribed fire plan.

Safety is always the top priority for Parks Canada in all fire management operations. Parks Canada does prescribed fires on Parks Canada administered lands to help maintain and restore ecological integrity and biodiversity, to promote ecosystem conservation and restoration, and to reduce the risk of wildfire to nearby communities. Learn more: Parks Canada fire management.

For safety, an area closure is in place. It includes the Porcupine Valley and Mount Hunter Trail. For a list of up-to-date closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

Prescribed fire update - September 2, 5:40 pm

As of September 2, 2025, the Porcupine Valley prescribed fire unit remains in prescription.

Currently, Parks Canada fire specialists are monitoring the weather forecast looking for a period of decreasing temperatures and increasing relative humidity. This is needed for the days following ignition because it helps reduce fire behavior once ignition is complete.

Based on the current forecast, ignition could occur as early as Thursday September 4, 2025. However, if the conditions are not met, the prescribed fire will be postponed until conditions are favourable.

The Porcupine Valley prescribed fire unit is 3,300-hectares in size. The unit is located in the Porcupine Valley in Yoho National Park. It is northwest of the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately 17 km southwest of Field, B.C. and 3 to 4 km northwest of Hoodoo Creek Campground.

An area closure of the Porcupine Valley including the Mount Hunter Trail remains in place for public safety. The area closure for Finn Creek Day-use Area has currently been rescinded; however, a new closure may be put in place during prescribed fire operations. For a list of up-to-date area closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

The current prescription window is in place until further notice. The prescription window is based on conditions outlined in the Porcupine Valley prescribed fire plan. The prescribed fire unit will remain in this window until it no longer meets specific conditions in the plan, which includes local weather and environmental conditions needed to go ahead.

Prescribed fire update - August 26, 5 pm

The Porcupine Valley prescribed fire unit has entered a prescription window, effective until further notice. Conditions permitting, Parks Canada plans to conduct the 3,300-hectare prescribed fire during this window.

Safety is always the top priority for Parks Canada in all fire management operations. Area and facility closures will be in place for public safety and include:

• The entire Porcupine Valley from the entrance at the Trans-Canada Highway to Mount King.
• The Mount Hunter Trail.
• The Finn Creek Day-use Area.

For a list of up-to-date area closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page. As conditions permit, Parks Canada fire specialists may work on other approved prescribed fire units.

Date: Spring/Fall
Size: 20.3 hectares
Location: South of Field, in central Yoho National Park.
Additional details: The Kicking Horse Meadow 1 prescribed fire is part of a larger meadows restoration plan. This prescribed fire will restore open meadow and grassland. It will do this by encouraging re-growth of native grass and shrub species.

Date: Spring/Fall
Size: 830 hectares
Location: South and west-facing slopes on Mount Owen, in central Yoho National Park.
Additional details: The natural fire cycle in Yoho National Park has been altered. This prescribed fire will restore young, fire-regenerated habitat where species at risk like grizzly bears and whitebark pine can thrive. It will also create a fire break in the continuous forest, helping prevent the spread of wildfires.

Date: Spring/Fall
Size: 3,300 hectares
Location: Southwestern area of Yoho National Park in the backcountry of the Porcupine Valley. 17 km southwest of Field and 3 to 4 km northwest of the Hoodoos Campground.
Additional details: Parks Canada conducts prescribed fires for two reasons: to improve ecosystem health and protect communities.
The Porcupine Valley prescribed fire will:

• Reduce forest fuels so that wildfires will be less intense, spread more slowly and be easier to control.
• Restore the historic fire cycle in the Porcupine Valley.
• Restore and enhance habitat for grizzly bears and endangered whitebark pine.

Date: Spring/Fall
Size: 2,986 hectares
Location: In the Ice River Valley, east of Hoodoo Creek Campground near the southern boundary of Yoho National Park.
Additional details: The natural fire cycle in Yoho National Park has been altered. This prescribed fire will restore young, fire-regenerated habitat where species at risk like grizzly bears and whitebark pine can thrive. It will also create a fire break in the continuous forest, helping prevent the spread of wildfires. Additionally, this fire will be part of a research project on prescribed fire and mountain goat habitat.

Fire specialists write a detailed plan and assess vegetation moisture, weather patterns, topography and many other variables. Fire crews remove fuel in specific areas to create fire guards, which, along with natural barriers like cliffs and rivers, are used to contain the fire.

If conditions are right, the prescribed fire will be ignited.

Safety is always the top priority for Parks Canada in all fire management operations. During a prescribed fire and area closures are often in place until the area is deemed safe to enter. For an up-to-date list of area closures, visit the Yoho National Park Important bulletins page.

During operations, expect to see flames, smoke, equipment like sprinklers and hoses, and fire crews working in the area. Helicopter bucketing may also take place. This is all part of normal prescribed fire operations.

Parks Canada fire specialists make every effort to limit smoke during prescribed fire operations. The prescribed fire will only go ahead if conditions allow smoke to disperse into the atmosphere. However, unpredicted changes in weather can increase and redirect smoke. Be prepared for potential delays and reduced visibility on sections of the Trans-Canada Highway.

During Fall 2025, thinning will occur on the lower slopes above the community of Field in Yoho National Park. The project area will begin at the waste-water treatment plant adjacent to the cemetery and extend southwest above 2nd Ave towards the first avalanche path along the Field back road. This work will focus on thinning out regrowth in an area where wildfire risk reduction work was previously done. Vegetation will be hand-thinned, and debris burned on site, conditions permitting. Treatment areas will be closed. These closure details will be posted on site. Please respect all closures and warning signs.

Re-treating this area will be a multi-year project.

FireSmart™ work around the Ice River Warden Cabin is dependent on time and resources this fall. The Ice River Warden Cabin is located in the Ice River Valley in Yoho National Park.

Treatment areas will be closed during work. This will not affect trails, roads, or facilities. These closure details will be posted on site. Please respect all closures and warning signs.

During wildfire risk reduction work, trees, tree limbs, and brush are put into piles. Sometimes these piles of woody debris are too wet, or venting conditions are too poor to burn. These piles are left, and crews return to burn when the piles are dry, and conditions are good.

The piles of woody debris are in different locations around Yoho National Park.

Burning at each location will only take place when safe to do so and when appropriate venting conditions exist. Visitors and residents can expect to see smoke. Treatment areas will be closed when crews are burning the piles of woody debris. The work will not affect trails, roads, or facilities. Closure details will be posted on site. Please respect all closures and warning signs.