The Jasper townsite has been cleared following a mandatory evacuation order triggered by wildfires nearby.
Attention has since turned to helping people in the backcountry to safely exit the affected areas, Parks Canada said Tuesday.
“The evacuation of the townsite is complete, and the evacuation of hikers in the backcountry is ongoing,” the national parks agency said on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter.
“Our priority is to protect the town and community of Jasper, limiting wildfire growth towards the town, Highway 16, and critical infrastructure.”
Parks staff, along with municipal, provincial and federal partners, have taken measures to support firefighting after thousands of residents and visitors were told late Monday to pack up and flee to Calgary and Grande Prairie via B.C. through the lone remaining accessible highway.
“Firefighting efforts include aerial suppression with multiple aircraft and airtankers and plans to establish control lines using heavy equipment and dozers,” Parks Canada said. “CN is assisting with their specialized train water tank along the rail line.”
People wishing to return to Jasper to retrieve documents and personal belongings won’t be able to do so for now, officials said.
“The Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park remain closed, and it is crucial to comply with the evacuation order,” Parks Canada said. “We appreciate your compliance with the evacuation order and understand the difficulty of being separated from your belongings.”
Jasper wildfire evacuees find relief after long journey
Some wildfire evacuees who were trapped in traffic for hours while leaving Jasper National Park say they are feeling relieved to have found safety.
Addison McNeill, who is 24, says she felt stressed when she got an alert on Monday night to evacuate Jasper about two hours after she moved to the alpine town from Edmonton.
When she got on the road, she says she saw many of Jasper’s 4,700 residents exiting the town calmly along with visitors despite being trapped in gridlock and hot, smoky air for hours.
Evacuees were initially ordered to go to British Columbia but were directed on Tuesday to make a wide U-turn as that province was dealing with its own wildfires.
Jasper resident Leanne Maeva Joyeuse says she feels relieved to have made it to Grande Prairie after having been on the road for nearly 20 hours but she is worried about how the wildfires will affect her town.
On the road Monday night into Tuesday morning, evacuees also posted their experiences on social media.
Krista Mitchell, from Grande Prairie, relayed their status via Facebook. It took four hours to travel one kilometre, she wrote. Originally heading west, travel was stalled.
Michael Laboucan, from High Prairie, found himself still in Jasper with no where to go.
“Stuck in Jasper fire all around, both roads are closed now,” he posted with a photo.
— The Canadian Press, with files from Postmedia
Evacuation alert in M.D. of Bighorn northwest of Calgary
Flames scorching a rural area about 80 kilometres northwest of Calgary have led to an evacuation order.
The Water Valley Community Hall is serving as a reception centre, with staff available to assist evacuated community members.
“Residents who are in the surrounding areas should be prepared to leave their properties with minimal notification when advised,” the municipal district said.
Jasper National Park begins cancelling, refunding campground reservations
Due to the current wildfire situation, those who had hoped to travel to campgrounds at Jasper National Park through Aug. 6 will have their reservations cancelled and refunded.
“While the wildfires and area closure are assessed daily, the intense draw on staff and resources means Parks Canada is unable to provide reservation holders with a typical camping experience,” the agency said.
“Parks Canada is proactively cancelling and fully refunding all campground reservations until August 6.”
Once reopening is possible, time will be needed to clean campsites and recall evacuated staff, Parks Canada said.
Officials worry Jasper wildfire situation could worsen
“We’re preparing for challenging conditions today as a cold front moves in from B.C. and the wind is going to shift,” said Christie Tucker with Alberta Wildfire on Tuesday.
“This will change the intensity of several of the wildfires in Alberta as well as the direction that they may be moving.”
Temperatures in parts of the province are forecast to dip late Wednesday into Thursday.
“The past few weeks have been tough,” said Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen.
“We will likely have more hard days ahead of us.”
Access to Fort McMurray restored after wildfires close highways
Access to Fort McMurray was restored Tuesday after wildfires closed the only two southern highways out of the city on Monday night, with three major wildfire clusters burning across Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
Alberta Transportation closed Highway 63 at 7:18 p.m. after wildfires crossed the road at a point south of Mariana Lake and north of Wandering River. Highway 881 closed near the entrance towards Janvier and north of Conklin at 3:45 p.m. Monday.