Bulletins

Shirley Lake prescribed fire update

Elk Island National Park, AB, April 21, 2026: Parks Canada has begun a prescribed fire in the Shirley Lake area of Elk Island National Park. Operations are expected to take place between April 21 and mid-May.

Safety is always Parks Canada’s top priority when planning and undertaking prescribed fire. An area closure may be in place for the Shirley Lake area and Oster Lake backcountry campsite areas. The rest of Elk Island National Park remains open to visitors during the prescribed fires.

Smoke may be visible from a distance, including from Highway 16 and the Elk Island Parkway. Travellers should follow all marked speed limits and, for safety reasons, are asked not to stop. Neighbouring residents/property owners may experience some smoky conditions outside of the prescribed fire area.  

Prescribed fires are complex operations that can require several years of preparation. A detailed prescribed fire plan and impact assessment are developed early in the planning and monitoring occurs before and after a prescribed fire to assess impacts. Up to 928 hectares of the prescribed fire area may be burned if the required weather and environmental conditions are met. The prescribed fire plans for spring 2026 are to ignite small areas of less than ten hectares at a time in the Shirley Lake area as these areas reach the prescribed conditions. It takes fire personnel multiple days to complete the prescribed fire, which is monitored afterwards to ensure it is extinguished.

The Shirley Lake prescribed fire contributes to increasing grassland and native vegetation, improving grazing for elk and bison and restoring the natural fire cycle to the ecosystem.

Interested in learning more about the role of fire at Elk Island National Park? Visit https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/elkisland/nature/feu-fire.

More information about Parks Canada’s National Fire Management Program can be found at: https://parks.canada.ca/nature/science/conservation/feu-fire