From my trip July 23, 2018 to Waterton after the fire – Red Rock Canyon Parkway

I had wanted to take a trip to see more of Waterton’s after the fire since the park was reopened. You could access the town site but most of the back country was off limits. This trip allowed me to ride up Red Rock Parkway on my bike. Parks Canada finally started to allow foot and bike traffic on Red Rock Parkway so more of the park is now open since the fire. Sounds like it will be a while before they allow cars on the drive but this will help.

Fires renew

I am a fan of fires and how nature rebuilds after a fire. To me this is amazing.  I wish that the fire was not as large as it was. A hot fire like this one does a lot more damage and can slow regrowth. But the damage is done so we need to live with the results as Waterton slowly regrows.

The moisture from the spring, the early summer heat and things have really taken off

With only a few months of regrowth the park looks amazing.

The fire happened on September 11, 2017. A lot of things led up to the fire being as damaging as it was. From mismanagement of the original lighting strike. To many years of suppressed fires in the park. To southern Alberta’s famous Chinook winds. A massive portion of the park was burnt in a very short time. It will be many years till the trees are fully regrown. But seeing the plant life as it is today and the animals it gives one a lot of hope.

Waterton after the fire – the animals