​Minnekhada Regional Park will fully reopen to the public today at noon, restoring access to areas that were closed following last year's wildfire.Visitors will notice an increased staff presence on trails and are reminded that smoking is strictly prohibited. Visitors are also strongly urged to stay on designated trails as there is an increased risk of hazards in off-trail areas due to wildfire damage. Once the park is fully reopened, Metro Vancouver will work closely with the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation and the Minnekhada Park Association to restore select areas where fire suppression efforts were focused, although the forest is resilient and much of the park's recovery will take place naturally over time. The Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation, in partnership with the Minnekhada Park Association, raised more than $14,000 in donations to support restoration efforts. BC Wildfire Service, Metro Vancouver, and the Coquitlam Fire Department responded to reports of a fire in the High Knoll area of the park on October 1, 2022. The fire grew to 14 hectares in size. Crews worked diligently for weeks to get the fire under control, despite extremely dry conditions and challenging terrain. The fire was determined to be human caused.  The park partially reopened after the fire was extinguished at the end of October, however the High Knoll Trail and other areas remained closed while crews removed hazard trees and conducted environmental and safety assessments.Since 1981, Minnekhada Regional Park has been a popular spot in Coquitlam for residents to hike and watch wildlife. Adjacent to the Pitt River, the park and its marsh support important local ecosystems and extensive bear habitat. We remind visitors to treat all of regional parks with extra care as the changing climate makes them more vulnerable to wildfires.Photos and videos of the firefighting effort and the park can be found here.