Foothills MP John Barlow had a chance to fly over the Kenow Wildfire at Waterton Lakes National Park on Wednesday.

Barlow says the work the fire teams did with the Fire Smart Program saved the townsite.

First they went in and pushed the forest area back from the townsite and removed combustibles from the town.

"It doesn't stop the fire," said Barlow. "So basically they put down waterlines and sprinklers and kept them going non-stop and it was enough to stop the fire literally at the edge of the townsite."  

But he cautions the park isn't going to be the same for many years to come as 70 percent of the forest has burned.

"It is going to be much different for a few years."

But, when you think of what could have happened it is also a good news story in that the townsite was saved.

"When you think of what could have been. We could have lost all of Waterton Townsite, we could have lost the iconic Prince Of Wales Hotel, but none of those things were lost."

However, It is going to be hard on the families that lost their homes in the MD of Pincher Creek.

While the firefighters were battling to save the Waterton Townsite the fire from the mountain side jumped the highway hit the grasslands and moved very quickly.

"It got away on them on that part and it burned a ranch and four other houses."
 
"You never like to see that happen. You never like to see people lose their homes but over all the firefighters did an incredible job to contain this to what they did."

There were about 150 firefighters involved.

"I can't thank the firefighters and parks Canada staff and the staff of the MDs of Pincher Creek, Cardston County and Crowsnest Pass who worked so hard to contain this fire."

"I Think when you go into Waterton and see the devastation, but the fact that the townsite itself is relatively unscathed I think is a miracle. I am certainly proud of the efforts of everyone to protect what is the jewel of not only Alberta but all of Canada."

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