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2024 Jasper wildfire

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This article is about the wildfire in Jasper, Alberta. For the 2000 fire in South Dakota, see 2000 Jasper Fire.
2024 Jasper wildfire
Part of the 2024 Canada wildfires
Satellite image of smoke from the fire on July 23, 2024
Date(s)July 22 – September 7, 2024
LocationJasper, Alberta, Canada
Statistics
Total area39,000 hectares (96,000 acres)
Impacts
Deaths1 firefighter[1]
Evacuated25,000+
Structures destroyed358 (townsite)
Map
Location of {{{name}}}

The 2024 Jasper wildfire, also known as the Jasper Wildfire Complex,[2] was a wildfire in Jasper, Alberta, Canada.[3] Fires were initially spotted in the mountains both north and south of the resort town before both reached the town.[4] A mass evacuation was ordered on July 22.[5]

Progression

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Map of Jasper National Park

On July 22, 2024, at 7:00 pm MDT, Parks Canada reported a wildfire northeast of the town of Jasper. Shortly after, a second wildfire was reported south of the townsite. At 8:35 pm, the Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park issued 'preventive' evacuation alerts.[6] By 10:00 pm, an evacuation order was issued for the entire park, and the park was closed indefinitely.[7] On July 23, it was reported that the south fire was 12 km (7.5 mi) from the townsite with an estimated size of 6,750 hectares, while the north fire was estimated to be 270 hectares in size.[6]

On July 23, service on the CN Rail main transcontinental line through Jasper was suspended, with CN sending one of its firefighting trains to the town that same day.[8]

By the morning of July 24, the south fire grew to 10,800 hectares in size and was 8 km (5.0 mi) from Jasper, while the north fire remained the same size and was 5 km (3.1 mi) away. At 6:40 pm on July 24, the south fire reached the townsite. At 8:00 pm, wildland firefighters and other personnel without self-contained breathing apparatuses began evacuating to Hinton due to deteriorating air quality, while structural firefighters remained to protect critical infrastructure and save as many structures as possible. At 10:00 pm, Parks Canada reported that significant loss had occurred within the townsite.[6]

By July 25, roughly 25,000 people had been evacuated,[9] and videos surfaced showing various buildings and structures destroyed by the fire in the southern part of the town.[4] Later that day, park officials reported that the north and south fires had merged together. Including an earlier wildfire near Miette Hot Springs, the Jasper wildfire complex was estimated to be 36,000 hectares in size,[10] which was later lowered to 32,000 hectares following an aerial survey.[11] On July 26, Parks Canada revealed that 358 of the 1,113 structures within the Jasper townsite were damaged by the wildfire while all critical infrastructure such as the hospital, schools, and wastewater treatment plant were saved.[12] On July 27, the Municipality of Jasper released a map and list of addresses of the structures damaged by the fire.[11]

A Parks Canada official explained the wildfire was the largest the park had recorded in the last 100 years and could continue to burn for months. [13]

An update from Parks Canada on August 1 indicated the wildfire had grown substantially and was now 39,000 hectares (96,000 acres), with more growth expected.[14]

On August 17, Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper lifted the evacuation alert for Jasper after the wildfire was classified as being held.[15] On September 7, Parks Canada announced that the wildfire was under control with the fire estimated to be 32,722 hectares (80,860 acres) in size.[16]

Fatality

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On August 3, a wildland firefighter was killed after he was hit by a falling tree while fighting the wildfire northeast of Jasper.[1] The man was subsequently identified as 24-year-old Morgan Kitchen, who was a resident of Calgary and based out of the Rocky Mountain House firebase.[17]

Evacuation efforts

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Due to the north and south wildfires converging, Highway 16 and Highway 93 within the park were closed.[18] Anyone travelling towards Jasper was told to turn around. Evacuees travelling from Jasper were ordered by emergency personnel to continue to travel westbound on Highway 16. A welcome centre was established in Valemount, British Columbia as a place for evacuees to rest, although reception centres were quickly overwhelmed, and hotels and lodges were also at breaking capacity.[18] Evacuees seeking government support were directed to go to emergency reception centres in Calgary and Grande Prairie.[18] Buses were brought in to Valemount and Prince George to transport evacuees to the reception centres in Calgary and Grande Prairie, respectively, while one bus was arranged to transport people in Jasper to Edmonton, Alberta.[19]

Disaster response and aftermath

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Parks Canada said in a statement on July 25 that a disaster response team had been formed to support affected communities.[20] More than 250 wildland urban interface personnel from across Alberta arrived on July 27 and hundreds of firefighters from Canada, Australia, and South Africa arrived the following day to help battle the wildfire.[21]

The Alberta government provided a one-time payment of $1,250 per adult and $500 per children under 18 for Jasper residents to cover expenses.[21] In addition, the Canadian Red Cross provided a payment of $750 per household that has registered with the organization. The provincial and federal government also committed to match donations made to the Canadian Red Cross with a deadline set for August 24.[22]

Re-entry for Jasper residents opened on August 16 while areas outside of the townsite remained closed.[23]

Landmarks in Jasper such as the Athabasca Hotel, Jasper Skytram, Jasper station, Jasper the Bear statue, Jasper-Yellowhead Museum & Archives, and Marmot Basin were undamaged by the wildfire. Jasper Park Lodge experienced property damage but the main lodge and some structures were spared while the HI Jasper and Athabasca Falls hostels was destroyed.[24] Two churches, St. Mary & St. George Anglican Church and the Jasper United Church, were destroyed.[25] The Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen and all structures at the Maligne Wilderness Hostel were destroyed while Maligne Lake area was spared.[26] Campgrounds and commercial accommodations outside of the townsite experienced varying degrees of damage with 16 of the 72 structures at Whistlers Campground destroyed while all 23 structures at Jasper House Bungalows were destroyed.[2]

The fires cost $880 million in insurance claims, making it the ninth most expensive natural disaster for insurance companies in Canadian history.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b King, Jasmine (August 3, 2024). "Alberta firefighter dies fighting Jasper wildfire". Global News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Wildfire status — Jasper Wildfire Complex". Parks Canada. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  3. ^ "Canadian wildfires: 25,000 evacuated from the tourist town of Jasper". BBC News. July 25, 2024. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Video shows widespread destruction caused by wildfire in Jasper". CBC News. July 25, 2024. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  5. ^ Cecco, Leyland (July 23, 2024). "Canada wildfires: 25,000 evacuate Jasper national park amid multiple blazes". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Boynton, Sean (July 25, 2024). "Jasper wildfire: Here's how quickly flames engulfed a town". Globalnews.ca. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  7. ^ Berg, Bailey (July 25, 2024). "Canada's Jasper National Park Closed Indefinitely Amid Massive Wildfires". AFAR. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Stephens, Bill (July 23, 2024). "Wildfire shuts down CN main line through Jasper, Alberta (updated)". Trains.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  9. ^ "Famous Rockies resort of Jasper on fire as thousands flee". BBC. July 25, 2024. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Snowdon, Wallis; Frew, Nicolas (July 25, 2024). "Buildings in Jasper in ashes after 'monster' wildfire rips through mountain community". CBC News. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Snowdon, Wallis; Frew, Nicolas (July 27, 2024). "Jasper officials release map, list of all structures destroyed by wildfire". CBC News. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Heidenreich, Phil (July 26, 2024). "30% of Jasper structures destroyed by wildfire, critical infrastructure saved: Parks Canada". Global News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  13. ^ "Parks Canada official says wildfire in Jasper National Park could burn for months". The Canadian Press. CTV News Edmonton. July 28, 2024. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Shokeir, Peter (August 2, 2024). "Jasper wildfires grow 7,500 hectares as warm weather persists". The Fitzhugh. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  15. ^ Frew, Nicolas (August 17, 2024). "Evacuation alert for Jasper, Alta., lifted as wildfire in national park now being held: officials". CBC News. Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "Jasper wildfire complex now under control: Parks Canada". CBC News. September 7, 2024. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  17. ^ "Calgary firefighter who died fighting Jasper wildfire identified". CBC News. August 8, 2024. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  18. ^ a b c Kurjata, Andrew (July 23, 2024). "B.C. towns full, Jasper wildfire evacuees directed to Alberta". CBC News. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  19. ^ Black, Matthew (July 23, 2024). "Thousands escape Jasper wildfire as officials worry situation could worsen". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  20. ^ Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada (July 26, 2024). "Wildfire status". parks.canada.ca. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Hundreds of firefighters arriving to battle Jasper blaze". The Fitzhugh. July 27, 2024. Archived from the original on July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  22. ^ "Canadian Red Cross announces financial assistance for people evacuated from Jasper due to wildfires in Alberta" (Press release). Ottawa: Canadian Red Cross. July 30, 2024. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  23. ^ Snowdon, Wallis (August 16, 2024). "Jasper residents return to wildfire-ravaged townsite as re-entry begins". CBC News. Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  24. ^ French, Janet (July 29, 2024). "12 Jasper landmarks tourists might wonder about after the wildfire". CBC News. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  25. ^ Longhurst, John (August 17, 2024). "Two of Jasper's five churches destroyed by wildfires". The Winnipeg Free Press. Archived from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  26. ^ Delaney, Zac (August 11, 2024). "Jasper firefighters find destruction and salvation for Maligne Lake infrastructure". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  27. ^ "Jasper wildfire caused $880M in insured losses: Insurance Bureau of Canada". CBC. August 28, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
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