HINTON, Alta. – Details on when and how evacuated Jasper residents will be allowed to return to their homes nearly three weeks after fleeing a wildfire will be announced today.
Parks Canada advises that the Unified Incident Command will hold a virtual press conference this morning to provide information on the phased return to the Town of Jasper.
On Saturday, Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the day people would be allowed back into town would be Monday.
Ireland said plans to safely return to the city were progressing faster than expected thanks to the dedicated work of the fire response team.
Around 20,000 visitors to Jasper National Park and 5,000 residents of the city were forced to leave the park last month due to fires; a third of the city’s buildings were destroyed by the flames.
Parks Canada said over the weekend that 80 percent of the northwestern area of the out-of-control wildfire that threatened the city had been contained.
“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of great firefighters and other fire specialists from across the country, further risks to the community of Jasper have been significantly reduced,” the authority said in a press release over the weekend.
According to officials, the city’s important infrastructure, including schools and the water treatment plant, was spared.
Parks Canada said over the weekend that the city was undergoing increased activities to prepare for the return of residents, including work to restore gas, water and electricity supplies.
It also said information sessions are planned to help residents navigate some of the logistical challenges upon their return.
Bus tours of the town for evacuees, which began last week, will continue this week, but authorities warn that the wildfire situation in Jasper National Park remains fluid and the buses will only run when conditions permit.
The Alberta government said there were 115 wildfires burning in the province’s forest reserves as of Sunday, with 13 fires classified as out of control, 37 under control and 65 under control.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 12, 2024.
The Canadian Press
