Jasper wildfire: Minister urges ‘need to do more’ during heated testimony

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says all levels of government will need to invest more to adapt Canadian communities and prevent climate-related disasters like this summer’s devastating Jasper wildfire.

Speaking Wednesday evening to MPs at the House of Commons standing committee on environment and sustainable resources, Guilbeault defended his government’s approach to climate change and mitigation efforts, particularly from Conservative attacks and calls for Ottawa to take responsibility for a fire that destroyed nearly one-third of the beloved mountain town.

“I know the Conservative Party has an issue with this, but we are facing climate impacts like we have never dealt with before: floods, tropical storms, and yes, fires,” the minister said.

Exchanges between Guilbeault and Conservative MPs frequently devolved into shouting matches and accusations. At one point, Liberal chair Francis Scarpaleggia reminded members, “This is not question period.”

Questions were largely focused on what more the government and Parks Canada could do to prevent similar disasters.

The fire in Jasper spread with lightning speed and destroyed 30 per cent of the townsite, including more than 300 buildings.

Guilbeault said decades of measures implemented throughout Jasper National Park to reduce wildfire risk — including a large buffer zone, prescribed burns of fuelling vegetation and other efforts — had made Jasper “one of the most fire-prepared and resilient communities in Canada.”

2:07 Jasper mayor encourages tourism, but infrastructure lacking since cataclysmic fires

July’s fire, Parks Canada officials said Wednesday, was impossible to prevent once it got out of control due to “extreme” conditions.

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“Minister, if this is an example of preparation and success, what does failure look like?” Conservative MP Gerald Soroka asked Guilbeault.

“We do need to do more to protect ourselves, I agree with the member on that,” Guilbeault responded, recommending larger buffer zones for at-risk communities.

MPs, however, said the government was warned repeatedly about the danger a dangerous wildfire would pose to the town of Jasper before this summer.

Guilbeault said he started receiving briefings and having conversations with Jasper’s mayor “before the situation deteriorated” but did not provide a specific date as to when he was first notified about any risk.

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Parks Canada has faced questions about whether it could have done more to prevent the fire’s explosive spread, including mitigating the effects of the mountain pine beetle.

The federal agency says that since 1996, it has spent hundreds of millions of dollars fighting the insect, including carrying out prescribed burns, and Guilbeault and has also defended the government’s efforts.

Experts have told Global News they doubt more could have been done to prevent the Jasper wildfire, noting the biggest drivers were heat and dryness.

Guilbeault and Parks Canada officials at Wednesday’s meeting said they were committed to making further investments and actions to remove destroyed trees and fight the insect’s impacts.

Officials also pushed back against Conservatives’ accusations that they were reducing or eliminating prescribed burns, saying the burns remain an option for removing dead vegetation along with mechanized removals.

— with files from Global’s Touria Izri