🔥Wildfire Evacuation

Good morning, Bow Valley!

As you probably are well aware already, Jasper has been evacuated due to wildfires. We explain what this means for the Bow Valley and where to sign up for alerts (+ super important links to follow in the coming days).

• SkipTheDishes launches locally

• Canmore is the most expensive region to buy a home

• A ball python was spotted in Kananaskis

Let’s get to it!

— Fortune Whelan, Shireen Ahmed, Lauren H., & Ben S.

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JASPER RESIDENTS AND VISITORS EVACUATED DUE TO WILDFIRES

What’s happening: On Monday night, all residents and visitors to Jasper National Park were ordered to evacuate due to approaching wildfires and asked to head west on Highway 16 toward BC. 

Door-to-door checks: A total of 35 RCMP officers are going door to door to check whether residents have evacuated. 

The seniors’ living facilities and hospital patients in Jasper have already been evacuated to Hinton, and backcountry evacuations are in progress.  Any successful evacuees should register here. 

Closures: Currently, The Town of Jasper, Jasper National Park, and Icefields Parkway between Saskatchewan Crossing and Jasper Townsite are closed. The RCMP is advising that travel is not recommended west of Hinton or along Highway 16 toward Jasper.

For information on the ongoing situation in that community, follow Jasper National Park on Facebook.

What it means for the Bow Valley: The Town of Banff said on Instagram that, while wildfire smoke is visible, there are no close fires and no danger to Banff. The Banff Fire Department stands ready to assist the Municipality of Jasper if needed. 

Breaking now: An 85-hectare out-of-control wildfire is burning near Water Valley in the MD of Bighorn. All persons in the Area of Closure need to evacuate immediately. Roadblocks are being set up by RCMP on Highway 579, Highway 40 North, and at the Burnt Timber Gas Plant.

Currently, multiple air tankers and resources are responding. However, residents in surrounding areas should be prepared to leave with minimal notice. If you have any questions, send them to the MD of Bighorn Facebook Page.

All residents are encouraged to sign up for alerts: 

• Banff Updates

• Canmore Updates 

• MD Bighorn, Lake Louise, Field 

More Resources:

• Banff Air Quality Index: This is where you can monitor air quality.

• FireSmoke.ca: This is where you can track current wildfire situations within the Bow Valley.

• Canadian Rockies Webcams: This is where you can check web cams of different locations across the Bow Valley.

THE DIGEST

• 🛵Canmore, you can now get all your favorite take-outs delivered right to the door as SkipTheDishes is launching in town today! It's time for us to retire our cooking skills and become professional couch potatoes!

• 🦅There is a climbing route closure on the East End of Rundle (North Ridge) due to a nest of baby peregrine falcons. The peregrine falcon is classified as At Risk, with only 50 to 60 breeding pairs across Alberta. Populations have recovered somewhat thanks to declining pesticide residue in their food. 

• 📛Crews in Banff National Park quickly responded to a small wildfire near Johnson Lake that was caused by an illegal campfire on Sunday, July 21. As a reminder, anyone who makes a campfire during a fire ban can be fined up to $25,000.

• 💨An air quality advisory has been issued for the Bow Valley, with smoke said to worsen over the next few days as well as remaining under a heat warning, both of which pose health risks. Here’s a great resource for keeping you (and your pets) safe from the side effects of wildfire smoke.

• 🐍This is not a bear warning; it’s a snake warning! A Ball Python, native to Sub-Saharan  Africa, was spotted in Kananaskis. Alberta Parks has sent a wildlife advisory on this invasive animal, which is threatening to local wildlife and pets.

• 🏘️The Calgary Real Estate Board names Canmore as the most expensive region (out of 8 total within Southern Alberta) to buy a detached home, coming in at $1,603,900. Strathmore is the only area near Calgary where you can get a detached home for under $550,000.

NEW WILDLIFE CROSSINGS PLANNED BETWEEN EXSHAW & CANMORE

What’s happening: To keep wildlife safe near roads, two new wildlife crossings are planned. An underpass east of Elk Run Boulevard outside Canmore and a separate overpass adjacent to Gap Lake.

The goal? To reduce the 62 large-animal collisions recorded in the past five years.

What else? This is all part of Alberta’s Animal-Vehicle Collision Safety Program, which includes wildlife exclusion fencing and animal detection systems.  Construction on these crossings, leveraging natural landscapes, aims to help species like deer, elk, and bighorn sheep navigate the busy Bow Valley area.

Feedback: Landscape connectivity specialist Tim Johnson said it’s positive news to hear and Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) welcomed the projects.

THINGS TO DO

Wednesday, July 24th

• Caregivers and children 3-5 invited to Storytime: Help kids build a longer attention span and love stories at Preschool Storytime Summer for free between 10:30am and 11am, Canmore Library. It will also be available via Zoom.

• Get better at tech! Tech Tutoring and Troubleshooting is a free workshop to learn all things computer and digital between 2:30pm and 4:30pm, for free at Banff Library.

• How to renew your Permanent Residency Card: Settlement Services in the Bow Valley is holding a free session to learn How to Renew your PR Card, 3pm-4pm, Banff Town Hall & Zoom.

• Five course Mediterranean meal with beer pairings! The Brewmaster’s Dinner is a biannual event at The Grizzly Paw from 6pm. $104.76 includes 5 courses of food and beverages, tax and grats. 

• Calling volunteers for Trail Building Night! Wild Life Distillery is hosting a trail maintenance evening and looking for people to help at the Benchlands Bike Skills Park. 6pm-8pm with a drink at Wild Life Distillery tasting room afterwards. 

Thursday, July 25th

• There’s a Summer Book Sale! Friends of the Library are hosting a big book sale between 10am and 8pm at The Canmore Library. Choose from thousands of books at bargain prices!

• Steak & Lobster Night! The Malcolm Hotel is doing Steak & Lobster for $69 in the Stirling Lounge between 5pm and 9pm. There’s also live music from 6:30pm.

• Stand Up Paddle Boarding for Beginners: BanffLIFE are hosting Intro to SUP to learn the basics of paddle boarding, equipment included from 6pm to 8pm.

• Practice your poker face: Join Drop-In Poker at the Canmore Legion from 7pm.

• Bingo Night at Banff Legion: Every Thursday play bingo at the Banff Legion and enjoy $5 pints on the patio, 7pm-10pm.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🐱The Bow Valley is known for its notable landmarks, landscapes, athletes and artists but did you know we also have an internet famous cat? Follow Great Grams of Gary on Instagram or TikTok. His latest reminder? That flying drones near wildfires is always illegal. Well done Gaz! 

• 🌿Check your garden for these weeds as Parks Canada will be inspecting private properties after the Town of Canmore sent out a notice for Noxious Weed Control. 

• 🍺 Blake Canmore is running its biggest contest ever! All you need to do is buy a pack of Tailgater Pilsner and shoot videos/reels/photos of you enjoying the Tailgater Pilsner with friends and post to IG to win AMAZING prizes. 

• ♠Support the Banff Legion and Chase the Ace! The competition runs weekly and each ticket gives you the chance to win the Weekly Cash Prize + Progressive Cash Jackpot. 

• 🚲Grab your bike and do the 58 km ride from Banff, along the Bow Valley Parkway, to Lake Louise where you can claim your well-earned Banded Peak beer and merchandise! Parkway to Pint is ongoing until September 8th. 

• 👩🏻Models wanted! Hillary & Co salon is looking for a model to sit for a free solid root touch-up if you’re available on Thursday, July 25th at 11am. 

CIVIC NEWS

• Harvie Heights Interchange Upgrading Project is set to begin on Monday, July 29th with completion expected in September. Access Harvie Heights via Exit 86 as the westbound highway off-ramp (Exit 83) onto Harvie Heights Road will be closed.

• There’s still time for residents to provide input on the ward boundaries and council composition review project.The last boundary review was in 1989 and the population has increased 45% since then so you can complete this online survey if the wards fairly represent the citizens of MD Bighorn.

LIVE MUSIC

Wednesday, July 24th

• Listen to Steph O’Dette: 6pm-9pm, Farm & Fire.

• Balearic Beats & Baked Goods DJ Night: Tangerine Dance at The Uprising Craft Bakery, Banff.

• Hear Fernie Turnbull: From 10pm at Rose and Crown, Banff, no cover.

• Wednesdays with DJ Bunny Hops: From 10pm at High Rollers, no cover.

• Jam Night: From 9pm at Tommy’s Neighbourhood Pub.

Thursday, July 25th

• Listen to Steph O’Dette: 6pm-9pm, The Bison Restaurant and Terrace.

• Live Belly Dancing, Plate Smashing and Dinner Show: 7:30pm, Balkan, Banff.

• Country Night with Honkytonk Tom + Arn: From 9pm at High Rollers.  

SPORTS

• Calgary Irish need to TRY harder at rugby next time as the Banff Bears got a home win, 32-21, in a match on Wednesday, July 17th at Banff Recreation Grounds. 

• 2024 Paris Olympics! Krissy Scurfield of Canmore is heading to her first Olympics representing Canada in rugby sevens. She has suited up as a member of the University of Victoria’s rugby team.

• Canmore Eagles are looking for billet families for their 30th season! Incentives include $600 a month, season tickets and local business discounts. Contact [email protected] for more information.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Friday, same time, same place!