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Spring has sprung in Jasper and crocus flowers are in bloom.
But this time of year is dangerous in the Rockies with fire ratings high and river levels rising.
High temperatures this week have quickly dried out grass and trees in the valley bottom.
With few leaves on trees and shrubs, the sun is able to reach directly to the ground and plants are holding little water in these early stages of green up and sprouting new life.
It is the typical “spring dip” in plant moisture, but these conditions raised the fire danger rating in Jasper to Extreme over the weekend.
Wildfires have already started in British Columbia.
A blaze broke out near Fraser Lake on Saturday and burned more than two square kilometres of bush within hours.
And two small fires, one north of Fort St. John and another just east of Kamloops, were also handled by wildfire service crews, aircraft and other equipment.
Parks Canada is closely monitoring conditions in Jasper and a local fire team and helicopter are ready to respond in the event of a wildfire.
But fire is not the only potentially deadly hazard in Jasper in the spring.
Parks Canada’s visitor safety team is preparing for a period of unusually rapid snow melting and rising river levels from now through into next week.
Rapid and volatile snow melting may occur based on the combination hot valley bottom temperatures and freezing temperatures at higher elevations.
Conditions will be most challenging along the eastern part of the park, at treeline elevations and above, where snow volumes remain high.
This can lead to widespread natural avalanche activity, rising river levels, rock falls and dangerous lake ice conditions at all elevations.
“These hazards will remain elevated until snow volumes have been reduced,” a Parks spokesman said.
“Natural hazards are a part of the national park experience.”
The Municipality of Jasper is holding its second annual Be Wildfire Ready public information session Thursday, May 23 at the Jasper Activity Centre.
From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. there will be information displays and a chance to meet the experts, and from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. will be presentations from Jasper fire chief Greg Van Tighem and Parks Canada fire specialists.
