Winter Burning Underway for Lake Louise Community Fire Guard

What’s Happening? Parks Canada began winter pile burning on December 13 as part of phase two of the Lake Louise Community Fire Guard project. Burning and mechanical tree removal will continue through late March 2026, and smoke has already been visible at times around the community.

Why This Matters? The Lake Louise Community Fire Guard is a multi-year wildfire mitigation project designed to create a broad fuel break stretching from Mount St. Piran to the lower slopes of Whitehorn Mountain. The goal is to reduce wildfire risk to Lake Louise, improve firefighter access, and shift wildlife movement and foraging away from roads and railways.

Where Work Is Happening. This winter, crews expect to complete roughly 72 hectares of mechanical tree removal near the community, the Trans-Canada Highway, and the Pipestone trail network. Residents and visitors will notice increased activity from low-impact machinery and semi-trucks hauling timber along Sheol Road, Village Road, and Slate Road. Workers only cut trees early in the morning and late in the evening, and trucks stop hauling logs by midday.

Area Closures in Effect. For safety, several Pipestone-area trails are now closed when operations are underway, including the Pipestone Trailhead, Hector Trail, Pipestone Loop, Pipestone Trail, Drummond Trail, and Mud Lake Trail. The Great Divide Trail remains open and will be track set as conditions allow. Parks Canada recommends checking Important Bulletins and Trail Conditions before heading out.

Expect Smoke. Since pile burning began December 13, intermittent smoke has been present around Lake Louise. Parks Canada says winter inversion layers can trap smoke overnight, so conditions may look worse in the mornings. People with respiratory sensitivities may want to keep windows closed and monitor the Air Quality Health Index.

A Long-Term Strategy. This work continues more than a decade of wildfire mitigation around Lake Louise and forms part of Banff National Park’s larger fire management program. Since 2002, Parks Canada has treated nearly 15,000 hectares across 73 projects, with another 1,762 hectares in planning.

Reintroducing Fire to the Landscape. Banff’s valley bottoms historically held open grasslands and mixed forests shaped by natural wildfires and Indigenous cultural burning. After the park was established in 1885, fire was suppressed for almost a century, allowing dense vegetation to accumulate. With climate change lengthening fire seasons, Parks Canada now uses prescribed fire, managed wildfires, thinning, and FireSmart techniques to restore more resilient ecosystems and lower wildfire risk to communities.