Province says abandoned campfire cause of recent blaze near Canmore

An abandoned campfire is to blame for a recent wildfire north of Canmore.

Last week’s Devil’s Head wildfire burned more than 676 hectares of forest.

Now, investigators are working with the RCMP to identify hikers and others who were in the area between August 30th and September 4th.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Devin Dreeshen says there’s no excuse for leaving a campfire unattended, adding 71% of wildfires last year were caused by humans and were entirely preventable.

Fines for failing to extinguish a campfire can range from $600 to $840.