Close X
Friday, September 20, 2024
ADVT 
National

Jasper wildfire evacuees can start returning to townsite on Friday

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 12 Aug, 2024 11:03 AM
  • Jasper wildfire evacuees can start returning to townsite on Friday

People who live in Jasper, Alta., will be allowed to return to the community on Friday, but wildfire officials say they should not expect to spend the night in their homes.

Town incident commander Christine Nadon told reporters it's a blanket re-entry to allow everyone to come back at once. 

“Residents should be prepared to go see their property, but they likely will have to stay somewhere else at night,” she said Tuesday.

“You can't count on spending your first night in Jasper.”

Nadon said re-entry criteria have been achieved at an “unprecedented rate.” These include restoring emergency services to a basic level and reconnecting most other infrastructure, such as electricity and water. 

Critical retail services, like grocery stores, are still in the works, Nadon said. Park trails, campgrounds and day-use areas are not included in this re-entry phase as they still need to be assessed for safety.

“Re-entry into the municipality will pose challenges to those who have lost their homes, businesses and treasured places,” said Jonathan Large, incident commander for Parks Canada. 

“We hope that this first step brings some hope to the community.”

It was almost three weeks ago that roughly 25,000 people fled Jasper townsite and its national park as wildfires inched closer to the area. Flames destroyed one-third of the town’s buildings. Key infrastructure, like schools and the water treatment plant, was spared.

Over the weekend, Parks Canada said it could take more than three weeks to restore residential services to the mountain town 367 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.

As of Sunday night, the out-of-control fire stood at 330 square kilometres in size. On Aug. 3, firefighting efforts claimed the life of Morgan Kitchen, a 24-year-old wildland firefighter and former soldier from Calgary.

Nadon said there are currently no resources or accommodations in place for people who lost their homes in the fire.

Officials recommend waiting a few days before coming into town, she said.

“Whether you still have a home standing or you don't, you can't really count on being able to stay there that night, so people should be prepared to return to their existing accommodation,” Nadon said. 

“If there is a home standing, there could be significant damage on the inside … and for those who don't have homes anymore, they are welcome to come and look at the site, but obviously should plan to stay somewhere else.”

MORE National ARTICLES

Firefighting crews from Australia and New Zealand on the way to help B.C. fire fight

Firefighting crews from Australia and New Zealand on the way to help B.C. fire fight
The BC Wildfire Service said on social media that the international personnel are expected to arrive on Friday, as hot, dry conditions persist in the province and the number of active wildfires hovers around 150. It said the two 15-person incident management teams will then be briefed and given their first assignments. 

Firefighting crews from Australia and New Zealand on the way to help B.C. fire fight

B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis

B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis
Provincial labs in B.C. are testing out artificial intelligence for more rapid disease diagnosis, including cancer. The province says in a statement that the new digital tools will allow researchers to “securely share high-quality images” in other B.C. locations, helping them to perform a faster diagnoses or get a second opinion. 

B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis

Beach art mischief

Beach art mischief
Mounties in West Shore say a man has been arrested after setting fire to the mammoth statue at Royal Bay Beach.  Police say they responded to a call Monday at 7 a-m after a man who experienced a mental health crisis started a fire at the Esquimalt Lagoon.

Beach art mischief

Knife attack in Nanaimo by a man wearing a bra on his head

Knife attack in Nanaimo by a man wearing a bra on his head
R-C-M-P say the attacker swung the knives at the man, attempting to stab him, but the large dog lunged and bit him before the dog's owner used his martial arts training to incapacitate the other man and take control of the knives.

Knife attack in Nanaimo by a man wearing a bra on his head

Fatal shooting in Winnipeg followed soccer game, police say it was not random

Fatal shooting in Winnipeg followed soccer game, police say it was not random
Winnipeg police are investigating a shooting in the parking lot of a soccer complex that left a 22-year-old man dead. Police say they were called to the scene late Saturday night, after the final game of the Canada African Cup of Nations soccer tournament, and found a man with gunshot wounds.

Fatal shooting in Winnipeg followed soccer game, police say it was not random

Highway improvements coming to B.C. northwest, including better Wi-Fi access

Highway improvements coming to B.C. northwest, including better Wi-Fi access
The B.C. and federal governments are jointly providing $195 million for a series of highway improvements in Tahltan Nation territory in the province's northwest. A statement from B.C.'s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation says the funding will enhance road safety, while improving access to services for local communities and for development of critical minerals. 

Highway improvements coming to B.C. northwest, including better Wi-Fi access