Wildfires in Jasper National Park force evacuation of town and park

Despite the complicated logistics of evacuating seniors, backcountry hikers and thousands of campers, the process was “safe and orderly,” the mayor said.

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Thousands of visitors and residents were evacuated from Jasper National Park and the town late Monday night (July 22) after authorities declared a state of emergency due to a raging wildfire.

Three wildfires, two south of Jasper and one nine kilometers east of town near Jasper Transfer Station, are under assessment, fire officials said. However, the amount of new information about the fires, about possible threats to the community or infrastructure, was negligible. Officials hosting the news conference did not answer questions from reporters but promised another update this afternoon.

South fire

A large wildfire is burning near Kerkeslin Campground, about 30 km south of the town of Jasper. The fire follows the Icefields Parkway (93N) north to near Horseshoe Lake. The fire crosses 93N a few kilometres south of Wabasso Campground. The northeastern extent of the fire is near Wabasso Lake. The minimum burned area is estimated at 6,750 hectares according to Parks Canada. The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS) map shows satellite imagery of the fire.

Fire in the transfer station

A fire that started Tuesday afternoon at the Jasper Transfer Station was about 300 acres in size, according to CWFIS. That fire destroyed the Palisades Stewardship Education Centre, according to information provided to Jasper Local by a reliable source.

No more specific information about the wildfires was given at a press conference hosted by Parks Canada, other than to say that multiple wildfires are burning and the situation is dynamic and evolving.

“Parks Canada aircraft were out at first light today to assess the wildfires, identify impacts to infrastructure and prioritize wildfire response for the day,” said Incident Commander Katie Ellsworth.

Fire crews from across the region are installing structural protection on critical infrastructure and more resources are being mobilized, including aircraft and another incident response team, Ellsworth said.

Hikers in the hinterland

Some Jasper National Park campers and hikers were still in the backcountry Tuesday. Ellis said Parks Canada was evacuating park users using helicopters. She said if members of the public can contact people they know who are in the Jasper backcountry, they should alert the groups and instruct them to go to the nearest trailhead and contact Jasper Dispatch, 780-852-6155.

Forest fires timeline

The wildfires south of the town of Jasper and near the transit station were first reported by Parks Canada on Monday afternoon (July 22).

At 9:00 p.m., the City of Jasper and Parks Canada issued an evacuation warning through the Alberta Emergency Alert system, warning residents and visitors that an evacuation order was imminent. At 9:40 p.m., officials declared a state of emergency, and at 10:00 p.m., the evacuation order was issued.

More than 10,000 visitors and residents, many of whom were staying overnight, were evacuated. Visitors camping at Wapiti and Whistlers Campground, the latter of which has more than 780 campsites, slowly emptied onto the western highway. A line of taillights, blurred by smoke and falling cinders, stretched for miles into neighboring Mount Robson Provincial Park. At every exit, rest area, and highway facility, RVs, cars, trucks, and trailers were parked haphazardly as residents tried to find a place to rest for a few hours.

Meanwhile, Jasper residents rushed to load their vehicles and make their way to Highway 16 west, the only exit from town, until a safe passage to the east was cleared and small convoys of vehicles could be directed toward Hinton.

Evacuees were stuck in dead-end streets and neighborhoods for hours, with some residents cycling to local gas stations with jerry cans.

According to the Evergreens Foundation, evacuated residents of the Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge and Pine Grove Manor were able to make their way to Hinton and Edson.

A team from Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge headed east from Jasper with the hospital’s acute care patients and Designated Assisted Living residents.

The last group of seniors arrived at Edson Hospital at 5 a.m. Residents of Independent who had not left with family members were evacuated to Valemount.

During the evacuation, some residents were on edge when an emergency alert incorrectly indicated that the fire at Athabasca Falls would reach the area within five hours. That message was clarified in another emergency alert, telling residents to evacuate the area within five hours.

Mayor Richard Ireland expressed his deep appreciation to residents who evacuated to allow firefighters to do their work.

“I recognize and acknowledge that it’s not just the stress of the evacuation itself, but the timing of it,” he said. “The amount of anxiety that would create for so many people…. I appreciate all of them for the patience that they showed and the support that they provided to ensure a safe and orderly evacuation.”

Evacuees can find up-to-date information on the social media channels of the municipality of Jasper.

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Bob Covey // [email protected]