Jasper evacuees whose homes were damaged or destroyed by wildfires are being asked to sign up online for bus tours through the townsite to assess the damage.
There is still no timeline for when the tours will happen, but provincial officials said Friday afternoon they expect them to occur in the coming days. Tours will be limited to those whose homes were lost or damaged in the wildfires.
“While we understand all Jasperites are eager to see their communities, we are prioritizing tours for folks who have been the most impacted when safe to do so,” Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said.
“We are working towards arranging tours for other residents but right now, tours must occur under very controlled circumstances with limited numbers.”
When the tours happen, people will have to stay on the bus the entire time and will not be allowed off to look around, Ellis said. Safety is the number one priority, he explained, adding that there is still an active wildfire within Jasper National Park, destroyed properties are full of unsafe debris and hazardous materials, and officials can’t guarantee that there aren’t smouldering embers at some sites.
“There are still areas in there that are unsafe,” Ellis said.
“We’re trying to really balance both worlds in making sure people have an opportunity to see, so that they can assess with their own eyes, but also respecting the fact that there are wildfires just outside of the municipality of Jasper and also that there are dangers within the community.”
Other logistics, such as where people will board the bus tours, are still being worked out.
“We are deeply sympathetic to the frustrations some people may be feeling at being asked to wait for more details, but please know this is a priority for us and we’re working to get everything ready as soon as possible in the best and safest way possible,” Ellis said.
Get breaking National news
Last weekend, the Municipality of Jasper released a high-resolution map and list of properties showing the structures that were destroyed by fire. Those without access to a computer can call 310-4455 for help registering for the bus tours.
Jasper National Park said earlier Friday that wildfires in the area have grown by thousands of hectares and are set to expand further.
The park said the Jasper Wildfire Complex remains out of control and has grown by about 7,500 hectares, bringing it to about 39,000 hectares.
It said the new growth was expected and has occurred primarily on the south end of the fire. The growth is due to hot, dry weather.
“High winds and warm, dry weather are leading to increased fire activity,” Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen said Friday afternoon.
“The weather forecast for the next week predicts warmer and drier conditions across the province, which could lead to increased wildfire activity and new wildfires over the long weekend and into next week.”
Crews aided by helicopters have been working to extinguish hot spots around Jasper and near the water treatment plant.
Thousands of people fled the town and park last week due to the fire, which eventually spread into the community and destroyed one-third of its buildings.
As of Friday afternoon, there were 115 wildfires burning in Alberta’s forest protection area. Of those, 18 are out of control, 41 are being held and 55 are under control.
For the latest information on which areas in Alberta are under an evacuation alert or order due to a wildfire, visit the Alberta Emergency Alert website.
For the latest information on the wildfire status and danger across the province, visit the Alberta Wildfire website.
The latest information on fire advisories, restrictions and bans across the province can be found on the Alberta fire bans website.
For the latest on road closures in Alberta, you can visit the 511 Alberta website.
— with files from The Canadian Press.
Comments