Grass fires that caused evacuations this week in southern Alberta have now closed a provincial park.
The risk of more flames has forced Cypress Hills Provincial Park to close all hiking trails and roads – only the Elkwater town site area and the Reesor Lake Road to Saskatchewan remain open.
Alberta Tourism’s Susan Johnson says soil conditions are very dry and a number of fire bans are also in place.
Johnson tells The Calgary Sun if anything is left unattended or drops on the ground, the result could be dangerous.
The ban means the use of wood, briquette or propane gas fires is prohibited.
Barbecues are still allowed when approved for cooking.
The following sites have fire bans in place:
Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
Part Lake Provincial Park
Lake McGregor Provincial Recreation Area
Wyndham Caresland Provincial Park
Little Bow Provincial Park
Little Bow Recreation Area
Travers Recreation Area
For complete details on fire bans in Alberta, click here.
Grass fire and smoke stop traffic on Highway 509 on the Blood Reserve west of Lethbridge, Alberta on Monday Sept. 10, 2012. A rapidly moving grass fire in southern Alberta has prompted officials to order everyone in a town southeast of Calgary to evacuate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jaime Vedres
Risk of more grass fires forces fire bans, closes provincial park
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