ALBERTA
First images of Jasper after 100m high wildfire hit
UCP DOES NOT BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE
Brandon Livesay - BBC News
Sat, July 27, 2024
[Reuters]
The fierce wildfire which swept through the Canadian town of Jasper in recent days melted cars to the road and turned homes to ash.
The first images of the devastation at the famous tourist town have emerged, after a 100m (328ft) firewall swept through late on Wednesday.
It has been difficult to get a sense of the scale of what happened because the fire burned out-of-control for days.
Some 25,000 people were evacuated from the town and the Jasper National Park, in Alberta.
Firefighters were helped by wetter weather towards the end of the week [Reuters]
[Reuters]
On Friday, authorities from Jasper National Park said 358 of the 1,113 structures in town had been destroyed by the fire, which was caused by a lightning storm
However, all critical infrastructure was protected, including the hospital, library and firehall.
A list of addresses where buildings were damaged is being finalised and will be released “shortly”, authorities said.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland looks at what is left of his home of 67 years [Reuters]
One local who does know he has lost his home is Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland, who came back to the town with other officials on Friday.
He stood in front of what remained of his home, reduced to a few charred cement blocks, and said: “Now, it’s well, it’s just memories of family and fire.”
Mr Ireland spoke of a photograph lost to the flames, where he was just a two-year-old sitting on some moving boxes next to a birthday cake at that very house. He had lived at the same address for 67 years.
"So many others are going to go through this same thing," he told local media.
Canadians mourn as Jasper, jewel of the Rockies, burns
[Reuters]
Melted metal from a car in Jasper [Reuters]
New images show extraordinary damage at the tourist town, nestled in the Canadian Rockies.
The heat was so intense it turned parts of a car into a pool of metal, dripping across the road like a silver ice cream on a hot day.
Other photographs show the twisted remains of cars piled on top of each other, and a school bus now black with only a tinge of that iconic yellow remaining.
Hotels and a church were destroyed, and many homes.
[Reuters]
The remains of a church, destroyed by fire [Reuters]
Authorities are cautious of confirming what has been levelled, at this stage.
"We are empathetic to the residents and businesses seeking more information on specific details on the extent of damage," an update from authorities said.
"We know people are seeing images on media and social media but what we know about fire incidents is getting the information right is paramount.”
Fire crews are now taking advantage of cooler weather and recent rainfall.
They are containing the remaining hotspots in smouldering structures and along the wildfire perimeter closest to the townsite.
Burned wine bottles at a hotel in Jasper [Reuters]
Several hotels were destroyed by the fire [Reuters]
But winds were expected to pick up and hot, dry weather is forecast to return by Monday.
Sitting just north of the more popular Banff National Park, Jasper National Park is the largest in Canada's Rocky Mountains.
The Unesco World Heritage Site is home to elk, grizzly bear, moose and bison.
The adjacent town of Jasper has a population of about 5,000, but has some dozen hotels to accommodate the roughly 2.5 million people who pass through to visit the park every year.
Fire crews work to cool down hotspots [Reuters]
Melted chairs outside the gutted Maligne Lodge [Reuters]
Karyn Decore, whose family has owned the historic Maligne Lodge over 60 years, has been receiving condolences from around the country since learning it was destroyed as the fire swept through town.
Ms Decore says her now-destroyed hotel is normally 100% occupied from May to October every year. Now, all of the tourists and staff have evacuated the area, and they don't know when they may return.
Park officials estimated that a power outage in the town last year, which lasted two weeks, deprived local businesses of some CAD$10m ($7.2m;£5.6m) in revenue.
[Reuters]
It remains to be seen how long it will take to restore the resort town, as well as the pristine ecology that helps make the majestic park a pride of Canada.
Meanwhile, there are currently 48 wildfires burning "out of control" around the Alberta province.
'We will rebuild': A look inside the wildfire devastation in Jasper
Fakiha Baig
Fri, July 26, 2024
JASPER NATIONAL PARK — Richard Ireland's eyes well up with tears as he gazes in silence towards his home and sees memories of a lifetime burnt to ashes.
The mayor of Jasper then leans over what remains of the small, cosy home he grew up in — a piece of a concrete wall — and says all he can think about is a framed photograph that was taken after his family moved in when he was two years old, lost somewhere in the rubble.
"We grew up here … a family of five kids and our parents, and just about always at least one grandparent was living with us," the 69-year-old says on Friday during his first visit to where his home once stood in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town before a wildfire burned it down.
"That's the way life was lived in those days … extended family all under one roof. My home was full of memories," he says while holding back tears, his lips quivering.
His siblings moved away from his home after and more memories of his own children growing up in the home were formed. He feels sad for the hundreds of photographs of those moments now also burnt to ashes.
But although the ashes of his home lie below his feet, Ireland says he's glad his garage still stands, with his grandchildren's toys inside.
"We will rebuild," he says.
He notes his neighbours' homes on both sides of his are standing without a scratch, a reflection of how randomly the wildfires destroyed one-third of all structures in Jasper, mostly in the western part of town, or left them grey, ashy, mangled and covered in soot.
During a tour of the town with Ireland, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and other dignitaries on Friday, the indiscriminate nature of the wildfires could be seen everywhere, with Jasper National Park's glorious mountain peaks overlooking the devastation.
A trailer park on Cabin Creek Drive in western Jasper has been annihilated, and the disfigured pieces of metal scraps that remain are blanketed in grey ash and black soot.
The burnt skeleton of a bright yellow pickup truck sits nearby with its metallic skid plate melted on the concrete. Heaps of smoke float upwards from the ground in some areas. Shattered glass lies everywhere.
Across the street, however, a row of homes were spared.
Household items, such as chairs, tires, propane tanks and Halloween decorations, could be seen on the sidewalk in front of the homes.
James Eastham, an information officer with Parks Canada who was a part of the tour, says the items are highly flammable and were brought out by firefighters as a preventive measure while Jasper's approximately 5,000 residents and 20,000 visitors were forced to flee on Monday night as two fires advanced to the town from the north and south.
Jasper's iconic Maligne Lodge burned down on Wednesday when winds of about 120 kilometres per hour pushed a 100-metre-tall wall of fire into town.
On Friday, a sign for the lodge stood tall while the lodge itself on Connaught Drive was destroyed. Only the skeleton of the rooms' entrances withstood the flames that firefighters were seen still pouring water over.
Mangled red chairs where tourists once rested were seen in front of the lodge.
Down the street, a Petro-Canada gas station has been obliterated. The silver-coloured steel skeleton of the gas pumps were seen falling over and wooden pieces of the station's roof were littered across the ground.
Nearby, only a few feet of burnt, brick wall and a tower remained of the Anglican Church of St. Mary and St. George, where residents of Jasper have been gathering since 1928 to pray and attend weddings.
Elsewhere in town, cars were parked on fields of grass, away from flammable homes. Residents abandoned them there before they fled.
Heaps of wood and other unidentifiable, burnt material pushed into a pile by excavators were seen all around town.
After the tour, Ireland told reporters he was feeling hopeful even though 30 per cent of the Jasper townsite had been destroyed.
"That's important because we have 70 per cent of the base to work from," he said.
He said he plans to approach the rebuilding of Jasper knowing he's going through what many other residents are going through after losing their homes.
"Their pain is just unfathomable," he said. "I feel (their) pain."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2024.
Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press
New numbers confirm one-third of Jasper townsite destroyed in this week's wildfire
The Canadian Press
Fri, July 26, 2024
HINTON, ALBERTA, CANADA — One-third of all structures in the townsite of Jasper are gone, burned to the ground in this week’s wildfire, officials confirmed Friday.
Premier Danielle Smith said there are 1,113 structures in the picturesque Rocky Mountain resort community.
She said Wednesday night’s wildfire destroyed 358 of them and damaged seven more.
The structures were homes and businesses. Much of the damage was contained to the west side of town.
Smith said critical infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and water treatment services, remain intact.
“It was the hard work of firefighters and front-line workers who protected Jasper from even more damage,” Smith told reporters at a news conference near the eastern gate of Jasper National Park.
Smith said it will be a while before residents will be allowed back, but there is no definite timeline as the fire is still raging in the park.
Smith said they have to make sure gas pipelines are not damaged. Power and electricity have to be turned on again. And the wildfire has to be tamed so that stray embers don’t reignite another tragedy.
“This is not a fast process,” said Smith.
Canadian National Railway Co., meanwhile, resumed freight shipments through the park after closing service through its Rocky Mountain mainline corridor because of the fires.
Smith and other officials were set to tour the devastation in the townsite later Friday.
Crews were helped out overnight by rain and cool weather, but temperatures were forecast to rise again over the weekend.
The two blazes that menaced Jasper earlier this week have since merged. The total area burned or partially burned is estimated at 360 square kilometres.
Jasper was receiving fire help from 32 municipalities across the province along with aid from the federal government and even international crews from as far away as Australia and New Zealand.
About 25,000 people, including all of the town's 5,000 residents, were forced to flee the fires Monday night.
Those without a place to stay have been sent to evacuation centres in Edmonton, Calgary, and Grande Prairie.
Everyone in the park had to get out at a moment’s notice around 10 p.m. Monday when two fires, advancing from the north and south, cut off road access to the east and south, leaving the only path out west to British Columbia.
Relentless, fierce winds gusting up to 100 km/h challenged and eventually overwhelmed crews, and the southern fire broke through early Wednesday night and began wreaking havoc.
Questions have been raised over why the fire wasn’t contained and whether there was adequate existing fire protection. Both Parks Canada officials and Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis have said little could be done in the face of towering walls of fire moving at lightning speed.
At Friday’s news conference, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said Jasper was considered one of the safest communities against fire.
“Mother Nature, in this case here, just won out,” he said.
Richard Ireland, the mayor of Jasper, agreed. “Despite all of that preparation, the nature of this fire was such that it humbled the humans on the ground," he said.
Ireland said while some residents won't have homes or businesses to go home to, supports are on the way to help them over the next weeks and months.
“There is starting to emerge the glimmer of hope," he said.
“If there are homes for some, there is community for all. We will all get back.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2024.
-- By Lisa Johnson in Edmonton
Jasper Fire: Latest map after wildfires break out in Jasper National Park in Alberta
MEREDITH DELISO
Fri, July 26, 2024
The western Canadian resort town of Jasper has been "ravaged' by wildfire, officials said, as the large blaze burns out of control.
The perimeter of the Jasper Wildfire Complex was estimated to be 36,000 hectares (approximately 89,000 acres) as of Thursday night, according to Jasper National Park.
Mapping the complex has been challenging due to factors including strong winds, smoke and "extreme fire behaviour," the park said.
PHOTO: In this July 24, 2024, image obtained from the Jasper National Park in Canada, smoke rises from a wildfire burning in the park. (Handout/Jasper National Park/AFP via Getty Images)
The complex includes two wildfires that ignited on Monday in Jasper National Park and have since combined, as well as the Utopia Wildfire, which started on July 19 near Miette Hot Springs.
"Crews will take advantage of this time to make as much progress as possible to suppress the wildfire and reduce further spread," Jasper National Park said in an update Thursday night, though it noted warm weather in the forecast will increase wildfire activity.
MAP: A map of the estimated perimeter of the Jasper Complex Fire, as of Thursday night. (ABC News / Jasper National Park, as of July 25, 2024)
MORE: Jasper wildfire: 'Heartbreaking' damage as Canadian Armed Forces ordered to respond to Alberta blazes
The town of Jasper and Jasper National Park, located in the province of Alberta, closed and were evacuated earlier this week due to the wildfires in the park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies.
The fire reached the town of Jasper on Wednesday evening, the park said, resulting in "significant loss."
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the town has been "ravaged" by wildfire. There could potentially be 30% to 50% structural damage in Jasper, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, as assessments remain ongoing.
PHOTO: In this July 24, 2024, image obtained from the Jasper National Park in Canada, smoke rises from a wildfire burning in the park. (Handout/Jasper National Park/AFP via Getty Images)
There have been no reported injuries due to the wildfire, Jasper National Park said in an update Thursday morning.
More than 25,000 people were ordered to evacuate from the park and Jasper due to the wildfires, officials said.
MORE: Wildfires break out across California: Latest fire and smoke maps
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday authorized the Canadian Armed Forces to respond to the wildfires. He said later Thursday that the government is deploying more resources to "reinforce" the response to the wildfires in Jasper and across Alberta.
"Our governments are working together to keep Albertans safe and supported through this," he said on social media Thursday night.
Alberta is experiencing "extreme wildfire conditions," with more than 170 wildfires burning across the province, according to the government of Alberta.
Jasper Fire: Latest map after wildfires break out in Jasper National Park in Alberta originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Blaze in Canadian tourist town still out of control but rain helping firefighters
David Ljunggren and Anna Mehler Paperny
Updated Fri, July 26, 2024
FILE PHOTO: Smoke rises from a wildfire burning in Jasper
By David Ljunggren and Anna Mehler Paperny
(Reuters) -A massive wildfire that destroyed about a third of the western Canadian tourist town of Jasper is still out of control but rain and cooler conditions are helping firefighters, authorities said on Friday.
Jasper, located in the middle of Alberta's picturesque Jasper National Park, is a major tourist destination. The town and park, which draw more than 2 million tourists a year to this area of the Rocky Mountains, were evacuated on Monday.
"Rain and cooler temperatures and the incredibly hard work of firefighters have resulted in fire activity that is significantly subdued," said Alberta premier Danielle Smith.
"It is important to note that the fire is still out of control, and it remains unsafe for people to return," she told a press conference.
Parks Canada said between 10 mm and 15 mm (0.39 and 0.59 inch) of rain had fallen on Thursday and would most likely keep fire behavior low until into the weekend.
Jasper town council said that out of a total of 1,113 structures in the town, 358 - or over 32% - had been destroyed.
"It's going to be difficult. The pain that will be felt almost defies description. It is beyond comprehension," said Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland.
Residents and business owners have been combing through images that have begun to emerge from the town to assess the extent of the devastation.
Brett Ireland, who co-owns the Jasper Brew Pub is anxious to get back and assess the damage to his business. He thinks it is still standing, but does not know the extent of the water and smoke damage. Ireland knows the building next door burned and that his parents' house is gone.
"It's actually mind-blowing how bad it is," Ireland said.
Some estimate that the cleanup and rebuild could take years, and fear that severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry that is responsible for bringing in billions of dollars in revenue each year.
RAIL TRAFFIC RESUMES
CN Rail, one of the country's two largest rail companies, resumed the movement of goods through Jasper National Park on Friday after the fire forced it to suspend operations.
CN remains in regular contact with officials and is monitoring weather and fire movements, it said in a statement.
Officials estimated that when the evacuation order was given, there were up to 10,000 people in the town and a further 15,000 visitors in the park.
Late on Thursday, authorities said crews had managed to protect all of Jasper's critical infrastructure, including the hospital, schools and a wastewater treatment plant.
The blaze however, has damaged a number of bridges around the town and in the park, they added.
The Jasper Park Lodge, one of the largest hotels in town, said it had suffered some damage but most structures remained standing and intact. The 400-room residence is run by Fairmont, a group owned by France's Accor.
The Trans Mountain oil pipeline, which can carry 890,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Edmonton to Vancouver, runs through the park. The operator said on Thursday there were no signs of damage.
The federal government said in April that high temperatures and tinder-dry forests meant this could be a catastrophic year for wildfires in Canada.
The current fire could be one of the most damaging in Alberta since a 2016 blaze that hit the oil town of Fort McMurray, forcing the evacuation of all 90,000 residents and destroying 10% of all structures there.
(Additional reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia and Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Ros Russell and Sandra Maler)
MEREDITH DELISO
Fri, July 26, 2024
The western Canadian resort town of Jasper has been "ravaged' by wildfire, officials said, as the large blaze burns out of control.
The perimeter of the Jasper Wildfire Complex was estimated to be 36,000 hectares (approximately 89,000 acres) as of Thursday night, according to Jasper National Park.
Mapping the complex has been challenging due to factors including strong winds, smoke and "extreme fire behaviour," the park said.
PHOTO: In this July 24, 2024, image obtained from the Jasper National Park in Canada, smoke rises from a wildfire burning in the park. (Handout/Jasper National Park/AFP via Getty Images)
The complex includes two wildfires that ignited on Monday in Jasper National Park and have since combined, as well as the Utopia Wildfire, which started on July 19 near Miette Hot Springs.
"Crews will take advantage of this time to make as much progress as possible to suppress the wildfire and reduce further spread," Jasper National Park said in an update Thursday night, though it noted warm weather in the forecast will increase wildfire activity.
MAP: A map of the estimated perimeter of the Jasper Complex Fire, as of Thursday night. (ABC News / Jasper National Park, as of July 25, 2024)
MORE: Jasper wildfire: 'Heartbreaking' damage as Canadian Armed Forces ordered to respond to Alberta blazes
The town of Jasper and Jasper National Park, located in the province of Alberta, closed and were evacuated earlier this week due to the wildfires in the park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies.
The fire reached the town of Jasper on Wednesday evening, the park said, resulting in "significant loss."
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the town has been "ravaged" by wildfire. There could potentially be 30% to 50% structural damage in Jasper, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, as assessments remain ongoing.
PHOTO: In this July 24, 2024, image obtained from the Jasper National Park in Canada, smoke rises from a wildfire burning in the park. (Handout/Jasper National Park/AFP via Getty Images)
There have been no reported injuries due to the wildfire, Jasper National Park said in an update Thursday morning.
More than 25,000 people were ordered to evacuate from the park and Jasper due to the wildfires, officials said.
MORE: Wildfires break out across California: Latest fire and smoke maps
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday authorized the Canadian Armed Forces to respond to the wildfires. He said later Thursday that the government is deploying more resources to "reinforce" the response to the wildfires in Jasper and across Alberta.
"Our governments are working together to keep Albertans safe and supported through this," he said on social media Thursday night.
Alberta is experiencing "extreme wildfire conditions," with more than 170 wildfires burning across the province, according to the government of Alberta.
Jasper Fire: Latest map after wildfires break out in Jasper National Park in Alberta originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Blaze in Canadian tourist town still out of control but rain helping firefighters
David Ljunggren and Anna Mehler Paperny
Updated Fri, July 26, 2024
FILE PHOTO: Smoke rises from a wildfire burning in Jasper
By David Ljunggren and Anna Mehler Paperny
(Reuters) -A massive wildfire that destroyed about a third of the western Canadian tourist town of Jasper is still out of control but rain and cooler conditions are helping firefighters, authorities said on Friday.
Jasper, located in the middle of Alberta's picturesque Jasper National Park, is a major tourist destination. The town and park, which draw more than 2 million tourists a year to this area of the Rocky Mountains, were evacuated on Monday.
"Rain and cooler temperatures and the incredibly hard work of firefighters have resulted in fire activity that is significantly subdued," said Alberta premier Danielle Smith.
"It is important to note that the fire is still out of control, and it remains unsafe for people to return," she told a press conference.
Parks Canada said between 10 mm and 15 mm (0.39 and 0.59 inch) of rain had fallen on Thursday and would most likely keep fire behavior low until into the weekend.
Jasper town council said that out of a total of 1,113 structures in the town, 358 - or over 32% - had been destroyed.
"It's going to be difficult. The pain that will be felt almost defies description. It is beyond comprehension," said Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland.
Residents and business owners have been combing through images that have begun to emerge from the town to assess the extent of the devastation.
Brett Ireland, who co-owns the Jasper Brew Pub is anxious to get back and assess the damage to his business. He thinks it is still standing, but does not know the extent of the water and smoke damage. Ireland knows the building next door burned and that his parents' house is gone.
"It's actually mind-blowing how bad it is," Ireland said.
Some estimate that the cleanup and rebuild could take years, and fear that severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry that is responsible for bringing in billions of dollars in revenue each year.
RAIL TRAFFIC RESUMES
CN Rail, one of the country's two largest rail companies, resumed the movement of goods through Jasper National Park on Friday after the fire forced it to suspend operations.
CN remains in regular contact with officials and is monitoring weather and fire movements, it said in a statement.
Officials estimated that when the evacuation order was given, there were up to 10,000 people in the town and a further 15,000 visitors in the park.
Late on Thursday, authorities said crews had managed to protect all of Jasper's critical infrastructure, including the hospital, schools and a wastewater treatment plant.
The blaze however, has damaged a number of bridges around the town and in the park, they added.
The Jasper Park Lodge, one of the largest hotels in town, said it had suffered some damage but most structures remained standing and intact. The 400-room residence is run by Fairmont, a group owned by France's Accor.
The Trans Mountain oil pipeline, which can carry 890,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Edmonton to Vancouver, runs through the park. The operator said on Thursday there were no signs of damage.
The federal government said in April that high temperatures and tinder-dry forests meant this could be a catastrophic year for wildfires in Canada.
The current fire could be one of the most damaging in Alberta since a 2016 blaze that hit the oil town of Fort McMurray, forcing the evacuation of all 90,000 residents and destroying 10% of all structures there.
(Additional reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia and Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Ros Russell and Sandra Maler)
Rain expected to help worsening Alberta, Canada, wildfire situation
Simon Druker
Fri, July 26, 2024
No deaths have yet been reported but evacuation orders have forced around 5,000 residents and 20,000 tourists to leave the area. Photo courtesy of Parks Canada
July 26 (UPI) -- Rain and cooler temperatures Friday are expected to help crews in the Canadian province of Alberta, where wildfires have destroyed up to half of the historic town of Jasper, forcing some first responders to pull back.
Officials estimate around 89,000 acres have burned so far in Jasper National Park, including up to 50% of the structures in the town of Jasper, Alberta Premiere Danielle Smith said Thursday.
Entire streets have been engulfed in fast-moving flames fed by heavy winds in the region, leading the Municipality of Jasper to declare a State of Emergency Monday.
An evacuation order issued Wednesday forced many wildfire firefighters to abandon their lines and retreat to safety, leaving only municipal firefighters with water to battle the flames.
"Temperatures cooled and rain started shortly after midnight. The [0.59 inches] of rainfall in the national park has led to minimal fire behavior and spread today. This precipitation will likely keep fire behavior low for the next 72 hours," Parks Canada said in its latest update.
"Crews will take advantage of this time to make as much progress as possible to suppress the wildfire and reduce further spread. While rain in Jasper is a welcome sight, warm weather is forecasted and will increase wildfire activity. Currently, the Jasper Wildfire Complex poses no threat to neighboring communities."
Federal, provincial and local firefighters are working to contain the blaze, while members of the Canadian Armed Forces began arriving Thursday. Shifting winds have made it difficult to develop established perimeters around the fire.
Smith said Thursday she asked Ottawa for more help with the fire that is expected to continue burning for another week despite the change in weather. Lightning strikes in the tinder-dry grass and forested area is also upping the risk of further blazes developing.
"I also spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier to ask for a full update from the federal government on their wildfire efforts within the Jasper National Park," Smith said on X.
No deaths have yet been reported but evacuation orders have forced about 5,000 residents and 20,000 tourists to leave the area.
Hundreds of active blazes also are buriing in the neighboring province of British Columbia, as well as in California and Utah.
The iconic Jasper Lodge said on X the tourist destination had been damaged badly by the fire, but did not elaborate on the extent of the damage.
"My heart goes out to the community of Jasper on this devastating evening, wildfire reached the Jasper townsite. We need to pray for the firefighters that remain in town doing everything they can to combat multiple structural fires and protect critical infrastructure," Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen said on X.
Rail, phone, power services affected by Jasper wildfire
Amanda Stephenson
Thu, July 25, 2024
Critical infrastructure has been affected by the wildfires that have raged through Jasper National Park, Alta., and into the picturesque townsite itself.
Telus Corp. confirmed Thursday that some of its infrastructure in the Jasper area was damaged Wednesday in the blaze.
Telus spokeswoman Brandi Merker said some home phone and mobility services in the area are down, and technicians are working to restore service.
Priority is being given to restoring the ability to make voice calls, including those to 911, emergency services and hospital communication, she said in an email.
Merker said the company is securing helicopters to refuel critical cell tower sites and has also brought in backup generators to ensure the company can maintain wireless coverage for first responders.
"We know this is a difficult time and we are doing all we can to support our customers and team members who have been impacted, including supplying resources to the evacuation centre in Hinton, Alberta," Merker said.
Telus said Thursday it is committing $100,000 to support rebuilding efforts in Jasper.
Canadian National Railway Co., whose main line runs through Jasper, suspended operations in the area Wednesday afternoon as conditions worsened.
CN first suspended rail service through Jasper on Tuesday but restarted it briefly Wednesday before shutting it down again a few hours later.
"Early reports indicate the wildfires caused significant damage to the town. We stand in support and solidarity with the community, home to many of our CN team members and their families," said CN spokeswoman Ashley Michnowski in an email.
The historic train station in Jasper is owned by Parks Canada and the train platform is owned by Via Rail, which offers scenic passenger rail journeys from there through the Rocky Mountains and onward to Vancouver and Prince Rupert, B.C.
Via Rail said Thursday that the station and platform appear to still be intact, according to the latest information the company has received. The company's operations through Jasper have been temporarily halted.
The Trans Mountain oil pipeline, which passes through Jasper on its way to the B.C. coast, continued to operate safely on Thursday, said the Crown corporation that operates it.
Trans Mountain is Canada's only crude oil pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast, and a vital piece of infrastructure for the country's energy sector.
Trans Mountain Corp. said in a statement Thursday that "at this time there is no indication of damage" to the pipeline or related infrastructure.
Trans Mountain said it is deploying sprinklers to protect the pipeline, emphasizing it is using its own firefighting equipment and bringing in water from elsewhere in an effort to support local emergency services.
Atco Ltd., which provides electric and gas services in the town of Jasper, said it won't know the extent of the damage to its infrastructure until technicians are able to safely re-enter the community to complete a full assessment.
Spokesman Kurt Kadatz said Atco operators turned off the natural gas distribution service to the town and isolated the natural gas transmission line at a valve just south of the Athabasca River at approximately 4 p.m., just before they themselves had to evacuate.
Power remained on in the community to support firefighting efforts, but was ultimately knocked out later that afternoon, he said.
"On behalf of our people at Atco, we are devastated by the aggressive fires that came through the town of Jasper last night. We care deeply about this community and everyone who has been impacted," Kadatz said in an email.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:T; TSX:CNR; TSX:ACO-X)
Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge reported to have survived horrifying wildfire in Canada
Jason Lusk
Thu, July 25, 2024
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge CC
Jason Lusk
Thu, July 25, 2024
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge CC
A massive wildfire that rushed into Jasper in Alberta, Canada, has left much of the town in ruins. Local news outlets reported that 30 to 50 percent of structures have burned as 300-foot-plus walls of flames poured across the mountainous landscape Wednesday and Thursday. Nearby Jasper National Park likewise suffered extensive damage.
The area is also home to the historic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and its golf course, which opened in 1925 with a layout by famed Canadian designer Stanley Thompson. The course is rated among the best classic courses in the country.
The lodge was evacuated as the fires approached, but after many anxious hours it appears the lodge and course escaped most of the damage so far, as firefighters are still combating the inferno.
The lodge posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday evening that the hotel did incur fire damage, but most of the lodge’s structures had so far remained intact, including the main lodge. While it will take time to assess all the damage around the lodge, its operators posted “we are deeply relieved that much of the property was spared and the resort will reopen in the future.”
Guests with upcoming reservations in the short term were advised their plans will be canceled as the full scope of the fire damage is evaluated. The lodge asks that anyone who has booked a visit call 800-257-7544 or 403-762-2211 to reach the reservations team for further guidance.
The staff went on to thank the many organizations that have fought the fire or offered assistance, care and relief. The lodge pledged its support to the community and colleagues when rebuilding efforts begin.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge reported to have survived horrifying wildfire in Canada
Jasper National Park engulfed in flames: Shocking before and after photos show famous Maligne Lodge burning as Alberta wildfire spreads
Canadians across social media are sharing their memories of Jasper National Park, while pointing fingers at Alberta's government for cutting resources to fight the flames
Joy Joshi
·Writer, Yahoo News Canada
Thu, July 25, 2024
Canadians across social media are sharing their memories of Jasper National Park, while pointing fingers at Alberta's government for cutting resources to fight the flames
Joy Joshi
·Writer, Yahoo News Canada
Thu, July 25, 2024
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