By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Phased re-entry plan for Waterton residents, leaseholders, business owners in place

Sep 18, 2017 | 2:34 PM

WATERTON LAKES NP – Plans are in place for a phased re-entry to the Waterton townsite tomorrow (Sept. 19) for residents, leaseholders and business owners.

Those three groups will be the only ones permitted into the townsite for the time being.

Parks Canada has noted that the Kenow fire is still active within the park boundaries, and there is an ongoing risk from fire operations. They added that the high intensity of the fire has created a number of dangerous situations involving trees, rock falls and other hazards.

Meanwhile, the M.D. of Pincher Creek has noted that the mandatory evacuation order for South of Oil Basin Road to the Waterton Park Boundary has been rescinded, and Highway 6 is now open.

The Kenow fire is still classified as out of control, with most of the fire activity along the perimeter and a few localized hotspots where pockets of unburned fuels remain.

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That said, the fire once again did not demonstrate further growth overnight, and covers about 38,100 hectares.

As for the Castle branch, Parks Canada reports that the area within the Castle drainage has seen minimal activity over the past few days, and is still 221 hectares in size. It also remains 23 kilometres from Castle Mountain Resort and 30 km from Beaver Mines.

Parks Canada did note that an increase in temperatures and the wind in the forecast for this week, fire behaviour could potentially escalate again.