Jasper evacuees will soon learn when they will be able to return home after being evacuated from their town for nearly three weeks.
The announcement will take place on Monday (Aug. 12).
“The precise terms of re-entry are still being refined and will be available Monday through Unified Command,” said Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland in a statement.
“My hope is that knowledge of the pending announcement will provide some measure of comfort to those so fraught with anxiety and the desire to know when they may be able to return home. Monday they will know.”
The Municipality of Jasper clarified that re-entry was not starting Monday but noted that progress was being made toward re-entry every day.
Crews have been focusing on restoring critical services and mitigating hazards in the townsite, which are required for re-entry to occur.
As well, Parks Canada must confirm that the wildfire is no longer an imminent threat to the townsite, and a formal re-entry plan must be approved.
Daily updates on the re-entry progress can be found on the municipality’s website.
Wildfire update
Parks Canada reported “a sizable win” as crews achieved 80 per cent containment of the wildfire’s northwest perimeter.
“Further risks to the Municipality of Jasper have been significantly reduced thanks to the hard work and dedication of amazing firefighters and other fire specialists from around the country,” the agency stated in a Saturday (Aug. 10) update.
In the coming days, crews will focus on hot spots identified by drones that have completed overnight infrared scanning operations in uncontained areas.
On Saturday, firefighters will continue extinguishing hot spots and fire suppression efforts in the Palisades area, supported by helicopter bucketing operations.
Crews are also patrolling for hot spots south of the Transfer Station, between the highway and railway as well as along Marmot Road.
“A small-scale tactical ignition, supported by bucketing operations, is planned for today by the base of the SkyTram, provided conditions allow,” Parks Canada added.
“These tactics are conducted to reduce further risks of wildfire spread, by controlling burn fuels occurring naturally on the landscape, such as dry vegetation like downed trees and scattered brush and branches.”
Crews will also be working to extinguish and contain the fire at the Kerkeslin Campground area.
Parks Canada also reported that several structures in the Maligne Canyon area had been destroyed, including Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen and all structures at the Maligne Wilderness Hostel.
The Maligne Lake Boat House still stands, as well as the structures in the Maligne Lake area.
The Jasper Wildfire Complex remains classified as out of control and is around 33,000 hectares.
Redevelopment committee
A new committee will provide oversight, co-ordination and advice to elected officials as Jasper recovers and rebuilds.
The Jasper-Alberta-Canada Intergovernmental Redevelopment Committee is made up of senior government staff from the Municipality of Jasper, Parks Canada and the Government of Alberta.
The committee will first focus on transitional and interim housing needs.
To better understand and meet the housing needs of residents, the Municipality of Jasper has launched a housing needs assessment survey.
The survey will help inform efforts to secure suitable housing for those who need it, according to the Alberta government.
