Commercial vehicles will be able to travel through Jasper National Park via Highway 16 starting early Thursday (Aug. 1).
In a Wednesday (July 31) update, Parks Canada reported that access to the highway was planned to begin at 5 a.m. the following morning.
This comes after the ongoing Jasper wildfires had closed Highway 16, also known as the Yellowhead Highway, to all traffic for more than a week.
Access is currently being granted only to commercial vehicles, which are defined as trucks, tractors, trailers or any combination thereof, with a registered gross vehicle weight exceeding 11,794 kilograms.
To ensure safety, access is limited to the following times:
- 5 a.m. - 7 a.m. MDT
- 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. MDT
- 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. MDT
Parks Canada warned these times would be subject to change without notice and are dependent on fire behaviour and operational need.
“We are entering a period of hotter drier weather, and the fire is anticipated to become more dynamic. Access, even during these identified times, is not guaranteed. Commercial motorists should expect delays.”
The RCMP is controlling access within the park at staffed checkpoints on Highway 16 in both directions.
Truck drivers will be required to stop and identify themselves at these checkpoints before proceeding.
The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93N) remains closed north of the Saskatchewan River Crossing.
The latest highway updates can be found on 511 Alberta.
Wildfire update
Parks Canada said strong winds late Wednesday afternoon (July 31) increased fire activity as predicted, with trees occasionally candling in some areas, meaning fire activity moved from surface to treetop.
Fire spread was observed on the south end of the Jasper Wildfire Complex, but ground crews were able to limit the spread elsewhere.
Officials are warning of increased fire activity in the coming days as conditions become warmer and drier.
“Jasper residents should be aware of the possibility of intense fire and spread,” Parks Canada added.
“Our top priority remains protecting the community and critical infrastructure and every effort will be made to prevent further impacts from the fire.”
Crews have used the recent period of lower fire activity to protect the townsite and park from wildfire risk.
This includes redeploying structure protection sprinklers and the 12-inch-high volume sprinkler system, constructing firebreaks using heavy equipment and removing unburned forest fuels through small scale ignition.
