Highway 16, part of Icefields Parkway to open Friday

Highway 16 outside Jasper National Park in August 2024 two weeks after wildfire swept through the park, destroying 30 per cent of the structures in the Town of Jasper. (Source: Parks Canada)

Highway 16 and a portion of Icefields Parkway will reopen on Friday.

Jasper National Park said Highway 16 will be open to all traffic between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., with conditions: no stopping or exiting off of Highway 16 and no washroom or refueling options.The Icefields Parkway, or Highway 93, will be open for the public between Saskatchewan Crossing and the Athabasca Glacier area of the Columbia Icefield, Parks Canada said on Thursday.

As a result, Columbia Icefield will reopen via the southern edge of Icefields Parkway.

HI Rampart Creek Wilderness Hostel and The Crossing Resort will reopen, too.

“We owe an enormous amount of gratitude to the firefighters, first responders and members of Parks Canada for their heroic actions in ensuring the safety of our staff, their families and our mountain community,” said Stuart Back, COO of Banff Jasper Collection by Pursuit. “We will continue to work closely with the provincial government, town of Jasper and our tourism partners to support the recovery of the town of Jasper.”

The Town of Jasper, located approximately 150 kilometres north of Columbia Icefield, remains closed.

On Thursday, officials said cooler temperatures had helped with containment of the Jasper wildfire, which was burning out-of-control at an estimated 33,000 hectares.

For the most up-to-date information on road conditions and closures, visit 511.alberta.ca.