Power Restored, Re-entry Plans Underway, but Safety Remains Top Priority

Recovery Efforts Begin

Five days after wildfires ravaged the town of Jasper, authorities announced on Monday that all remaining hotspots within the community have been extinguished. Crews are now working to restore power and prepare for a staged re-entry of residents. However, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault cautioned that there is no set timeline for this re-entry due to the ongoing threat posed by nearby wildfires and the need to prioritize the safety of residents.

"It's going to take a bit of time, especially in light of weather conditions in the coming days," Mr. Guilbeault stated during a media briefing. "We want to be very careful because the safety of the people of Jasper is our main concern right now."

The wildfires, which had threatened Jasper for days, forced over 20,000 people in the region to evacuate their homes before reaching the town last Wednesday. The fires then merged, covering approximately 320 square kilometers and destroying roughly 30% of Jasper's 1,113 structures.

Authorities conducted a media tour of parts of Jasper on Sunday, highlighting the areas that remained intact. The majority of damaged buildings were residential, and the tour did not include the most severely affected residential neighborhoods. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.

While rail service has slowly resumed, Transport Canada estimates that it will take 15 to 20 days for the backlog to clear and operations to return to pre-fire levels nationwide.

This is an ongoing situation, and further updates will be provided as they become available.