Parks Canada planning prescribed burn at Jasper

Parks Canada says it plans to ignite a prescribed fire today near the East Gate to Jasper National Park, about 30 kilometres west of Hinton.

The 350-hectare fire will take place along Highway 16 east of the Miette Hot Springs Road and officials say it should take one to two days to burn.

Smoke will be visible in the Hinton and Brule areas due to the burn.

Officials say the burn will create a natural fire guard to help prevent both wildfires and mountain pine beetles from moving beyond the Jasper National Park boundaries and into the working forest of Alberta.