JASPER, Alta. 鈥� Moisture has helped to slow a fire that forced 1,000 tourists and outdoor enthusiasts to leave the popular Maligne Valley in Alberta鈥檚 Jasper National Park.
鈥淵ay, it rained!鈥� Parks sa国际传媒 spokeswoman Kim Weir said on Saturday during an update on the 50-square-kilometre blaze.
Weir said four to six millimetres of rain had fallen overnight and more was expected, giving firefighters a chance to get on the ground and attack the flames directly.
鈥淭his rain and the forecasted weather over the next few days will reduce fire behaviour potential and allow fire crews to safely work on priority areas,鈥� she said.
鈥淭his is a huge shift.鈥�
The fire was not yet contained, but did not get any bigger, Weir added. 鈥淯nder current conditions, we do not expect it to grow.鈥�
No facilities were threatened and the Jasper townsite was safe, Weir added. However, the Maligne Valley and the scenic Skyline Trail remained closed to campers and hikers.
A fire ban was extended to all the mountain parks, including Banff, Yoho, Revelstoke, Glacier and Kootenay.
All other campgrounds and day-use areas were open.
Weir couldn鈥檛 say when the Maligne Valley may be reopened.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a ways down the road, for sure. That depends largely on Mother Nature.鈥�
Maligne Lake is a popular destination for tourists, canoeists and back-country campers.
Weir said there is no reason people shouldn鈥檛 visit the Jasper park, but she did warn that some areas could be smoky.
