The Jasper Wildfire Complex, the largest wildfire Jasper National Park in Canada has seen in a century, began to threaten the neighboring community of Jasper. The local fire chief, Matthew Conte, took immediate action to protect the town.
Despite his efforts, Conte's own home was destroyed in the blaze. He described the devastation as "devastating" and said that there was already significant damage by the time he saw the harm done to his block. "It would have been easy to ask for crews to come in and extinguish," he said, but there was too much going on elsewhere. "We had to make the call just to move out of the area and let things go."
The Jasper Wildfire Complex destroyed 358 of Jasper's 1,113 structures, roughly a third of the town's buildings. The city's critical infrastructure was spared, but many residents have been displaced. Eight of the fire department's 29 members also lost their homes.
loss of homes, loss of businesses, loss of livelihoods. For others, the loss is reflected in losses suffered by family, by friends, by neighbours," he said in a statement. "As a community, loss to one, is loss to all."
With the town still evacuated, Ireland said he understands how important "one photograph, one item, one keepsake to help trigger and restore years of precious memories" can be. But for now, he said, there is a heavy risk associated with collecting such items.
"For those who have lost so much, whose homes are gone, whose memories have been turned to ash, whose future remains so uncertain, whose hearts are breaking, my heart breaks with you," he said. "...We have, and we will, suffer grievous pain, but we have not lost hope. ... We have confirmed that no matter where we are, we stand together as one community. We will rebuild. We will be home.
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