A Century of Smoldering
Beneath the rugged terrain of Crowsnest Pass, a network of coal seams continues a slow, relentless burn. These are not open flames, but rather a form of smoldering combustion deep underground, sustained by oxygen filtering through fractures in the rock. Some coal fires can reach temperatures of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit (about 650 Celsius). The fires are a direct legacy of the region's intensive coal mining history, which began around the year 1900.
The ignition sources for these persistent fires are varied. Some may have started from spontaneous combustion, a process where certain types of coal, when exposed to enough oxygen and moisture, can begin to self-heat to the point of ignition. Lightning strikes or forest fires on the surface can also ignite exposed coal seams. Once started, these fires are insulated by the surrounding earth and can burn for decades or even centuries until the fuel source is depleted.
Visible signs on the surface can be subtle. They include wisps of smoke or steam emerging from fissures in the ground, especially noticeable in winter when the heat melts the snow. The ground itself can be warm to the touch, and the soil chemistry is often altered, stunting or changing the local vegetation. These fires release gases, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and sulfur compounds, which can be hazardous in concentrated areas.
A Perilous Industrial Heritage
The Crowsnest Pass was once a center of Canadian coal production. Mines in communities like Hillcrest, Bellevue, and Coleman extracted high-grade bituminous coal to power the nation's railways and industries. Mining practices of the era, such as "room and pillar" methods, intentionally left substantial amounts of coal behind as roof supports. These remnants, along with coal dust and waste rock, now fuel the underground fires. The very structure of the abandoned mines—with their extensive tunnels and shafts—provides the perfect pathways for oxygen to sustain combustion.
Extinguishing these fires is practically impossible. Flooding the mines is ineffective, as the intense heat simply vaporizes the water. Another method involves excavating the entire burning seam, a monumental and costly task in the mountainous terrain. Sealing vents with specialized foam is also a temporary solution, as the pressure of the hot gases often creates new fractures and outlets.
The fires are a stark reminder of the region's dangerous mining past. On June 19, 1914, the Hillcrest Mine was the site of Canada's worst mining disaster, when a methane and coal dust explosion killed 189 men. Smoke and toxic gases, known to miners as "afterdamp," filled the tunnels after the initial blast. The mine itself, which finally closed in 1939, is just one part of the vast underground network that continues to burn today.