Parks Canada confirms Jasper wildfires have impacted some structures

Jul 24 2024, 8:05 pm

Officials in Jasper National Park say two wildfires currently burning in the park have impacted some structures and infrastructure.

According to a post on its Facebook page, the park says there have been some impacts to structures and infrastructure on the Icefields Parkway and along Highway 16. The exact details of these losses have not yet been confirmed as conditions have not permitted accurate assessment.

There have been no impacts to the town of Jasper itself.

“Parks Canada will share further information on structure losses once an assessment has been conducted. Individuals and businesses who have been impacted will be contacted directly by Parks Canada,” it added.

An update was also given on the size of the wildfires impacting the area. The north wildfire is estimated at 270 hectares and is approximately five kilometres from the town of Jasper, located between the Transfer Station and the Jasper Air Strip on both sides of Highway 16.

The south wildfire is estimated at 10,800 hectares and approximately eight km from the town of Jasper.

The south end of that wildfire is near Kerkeslin campground. It follows the Icefields Parkway (93N) north to near Horseshoe Lake. The wildfire crosses 93N, a few kilometres south of Wabasso campground. The northeast extent of the fire is 2.5 km south of Valley of the Five Lakes.

Parks Canada added that both fires currently pose a threat to the town of Jasper. All efforts are focused on containing further spread and protecting the community, and no timeline can be given for a re-entry plan.

Looking at fire activity, the post said that winds have been consistently high and gusty, and there was significant fire activity and spread overnight. Similar windy conditions are expected today and further growth is anticipated.

A low-pressure system is forecast to bring periods of rain late Wednesday night, ending late Thursday evening or Friday morning and while rain will help reduce fire growth and allow crews to make progress, it will not control the wildfire and create conditions to allow for the immediate return of residents and visitors to Jasper.

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Laine MitchellLaine Mitchell

Laine Mitchell is the Alberta Editor based in Edmonton. He grew up in a small town west of the capital region, where he also landed his first job as a reporter at a radio station. After that, he moved on to CTV News Edmonton in 2018, before joining Daily Hive in 2021. In his downtime he can be found running in the river valley, grabbing coffee with friends, jetting off to enjoy the mountains, or listening to Taylor Swift. Laine also enjoys spending hours discussing pop culture, current events, and everything in between.


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