JASPER, Alberta (AP) — A wildfire that has destroyed hundreds of buildings in the town of Jasper is the largest blaze recorded in Jasper National Park in 100 years and could continue to burn for months to come, Parks Canada officials said Saturday.
“We’re going to be fighting this fire for at least the next three months,” Deputy Commander Landon Shepherd said at a news conference in the nearby town of Hinton. “What we’ve learned over the last five years is that Jasper’s wildfire season tends to last well into the fall.”
About 1.2 centimetres (about half an inch) of rain fell in the area over about a day and a half, but active hotspots remained near communities.
More than 20,000 people living in and around the town, deep in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, were ordered to evacuate late Monday because of a fast-spreading wildfire. Parks Canada said 358 of the town’s 1,113 buildings had been destroyed.
In an online update, Parks Canada said progress is being made to contain the fire in the town.
Federal agencies said power was being restored to parts of the downtown core and critical infrastructure, which will speed up assessment of further damage and recovery.
Early Saturday morning, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith said on a radio call-in show that he wanted bus tours organized so evacuated Jasper residents could see the damage for themselves and get an idea of what to expect when they are allowed to return home.
Christine Nadon, incident commander for the city of Jasper, said it’s still not safe for any tours because of chemical releases from burned buildings and fires still burning on the outskirts of town.
“This is a plan we are working on and will be able to provide as soon as possible,” she said.
Nadon said her home was one of many that were destroyed.
Smith, along with Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland and other dignitaries, toured the evacuated town on Friday.
The premier told an audience on Saturday that he expects it will be nearly 28 days before Jasper residents are allowed back in town. He noted that it took a similar amount of time for residents of Fort McMurray, which was hit by devastating fires in 2016, to get permission to return home.
Provincial wildfire officials said an estimated 17,100 Albertans had been evacuated because of the wildfires as of Saturday.
The province said there are 157 wildfires burning across Alberta, with 44 out of control, 45 under control and 68 under control.
Evacuation orders remain in effect for three Little Red River Cree Nation communities and Lake Chipewyan.
Further aid from Ontario, Quebec, Australia and South Africa is due to arrive Sunday, the province announced.
Meanwhile, officials in British Columbia say the province’s fire risk is improving due to rain and cooler temperatures.
A situation report from the BC Wildfire Service said several large fires were slowing down, and cooler conditions and rain are expected Sunday across the western half of the province, including parts of the Interior.
About 385 fires are burning across the state, including six that are considered “notable” because they pose a threat to people or property or are highly visible.
Jim Morris Cell: 604-787-7418 Email: [email protected]
