The Jasper Complex Wildfire has forced the evacuation of approximately 25,000 people from the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park. However, there have been no reported injuries due to the fire, which began on Monday, July 22, just after 7 pm with an initial blaze northeast of the town, followed shortly by a second fire to the south.
Within 48 hours, the wildfires reached the town of Jasper.
Overnight, a small amount of rain provided slight relief, but it has not significantly impacted the overall wildfire situation, which remains out of control. Parks Canada, the Municipality of Jasper, and their partners from Alberta and across Canada are in Unified Command, managing the crisis from the Town of Hinton.
Throughout the night, significant structural firefighting reinforcements arrived and assisted with community firefighting efforts. Authorities express deep gratitude to all partners and municipal fire agencies for their support and to the communities hosting those displaced by the fires.
“Due to the ongoing fire conditions and our focus on the response effort, it is impossible to share information about specific locations and the extent of damage at this time. As you can understand, the accuracy of this information is critical because it has a direct impact on members of the community. We will share more information as soon as we can ensure its accuracy,” Parks Canada said.
“While we understand people are desperate to know about the status of our community, homes, workplaces, businesses, and cherished places we will need some time to stabilize this incident as we access and assess structures. We appreciate your patience and the community of people who have come together to support the people of Jasper and the Parks Canada family.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Trudeau has announced that more than 400 firefighters from Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and South Africa are on their way to fight wildfires in Alberta.
