2024 Jasper wildfire

On July 22, 2024, at 7:00 pm MDT, Parks Canada reported a wildfire northeast of the town of Jasper. Shortly after, a second wildfire was reported south of the townsite. At 8:35 pm, the Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park issued 'preventive' evacuation alerts. By 10:00 pm, an evacuation order was issued for the entire park, and the park was closed indefinitely. On July 23, it was reported that the south fire was from the townsite with an estimated size of 6,750 hectares, while the north fire was estimated to be 270 hectares in size. By the morning of July 24, the south fire grew to 10,800 hectares in size and was from Jasper, while the north fire remained the same size and was away. At 6:40 pm on July 24, powerful winds pushed the south fire, causing it to reach the townsite. At 8:00 pm, wildland firefighters and other personnel without self-contained breathing apparatuses began evacuating to Hinton due to deteriorating air quality, while structural firefighters remained to protect critical infrastructure and save as many structures as possible. At 10:00 pm, Parks Canada reported that significant loss had occurred within the townsite. and videos surfaced showing various buildings and structures destroyed by the fire in the southern part of the town. Later that day, park officials reported that the north and south fires had merged together. Including an earlier wildfire near Miette Hot Springs, the Jasper wildfire complex was estimated to be 36,000 hectares in size, which was later lowered to 32,000 hectares following an aerial survey. On July 27, the Municipality of Jasper released a map and list of addresses of the structures damaged by the fire. A Parks Canada official explained the wildfire was the largest the park had recorded in the last 100 years and could continue to burn for months. Experts determined that a fire tornado may have formed, burning hundreds of homes. According to a report conducted by the Canadian Forest Service, fire-induced winds caused tree damage and ground scouring comparable to an EF-4 to EF-5 tornado. An update from Parks Canada on August 1 indicated the wildfire had grown substantially and was now , with more growth expected. On August 17, Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper lifted the evacuation alert for Jasper after the wildfire was classified as being held. On September 7, Parks Canada announced that the wildfire was under control with the fire estimated to be in size. Fatality On August 3, a wildland firefighter was killed after he was hit by a falling tree while fighting the wildfire northeast of Jasper. The man was subsequently identified as 24-year-old Morgan Kitchen, who was a resident of Calgary and based out of the Rocky Mountain House firebase. ==Evacuation efforts==

Due to the north and south wildfires converging, Highway 16 and Highway 93 within the park were closed. Anyone travelling towards Jasper was told to turn around. Evacuees travelling from Jasper were ordered by emergency personnel to continue to travel westbound on Highway 16. A welcome centre was established in Valemount, British Columbia as a place for evacuees to rest, although reception centres were quickly overwhelmed, and hotels and lodges were also at breaking capacity. == Disaster response and aftermath ==

Parks Canada said in a statement on July 25 that a disaster response team had been formed to support affected communities. More than 250 wildland–urban interface personnel from across Alberta arrived on July 27 and hundreds of firefighters from Canada, Australia, and South Africa arrived the following day to help battle the wildfire. The federal government provided $2 million for local businesses in the aftermath. The Alberta government provided a one-time payment of $1,250 per adult and $500 per children under 18 for Jasper residents to cover expenses. Re-entry for Jasper residents opened on August 16. Areas outside of the townsite gradually reopened to the public beginning with Miette Hot Springs on August 18. By December 2024, areas and trails that were assessed for fire danger such as Pyramid Bench, Old Fort Point, Lake Edith, Maligne Lake and Skyline Trail reopened. Landmarks in Jasper such as the Athabasca Hotel, Jasper Skytram, Jasper station, Jasper the Bear statue, Jasper-Yellowhead Museum & Archives, and Marmot Basin were undamaged by the wildfire. Jasper Park Lodge experienced property damage but the main lodge and some structures were spared while the HI Jasper and Athabasca Falls hostels were destroyed. Two churches, St. Mary & St. George Anglican Church and the Jasper United Church, were destroyed. The Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen and all structures at the Maligne Wilderness Hostel were destroyed while the Maligne Lake area was spared. Campgrounds and commercial accommodations outside of the townsite experienced varying degrees of damage with 16 of the 72 structures at Whistlers Campground destroyed while all 23 structures at Jasper House Bungalows were destroyed. The fires cost $880 million in insurance claims, making it the ninth most expensive natural disaster for insurance companies in Canadian history. In July 2025, a report commissioned by the Municipality of Jasper found that the UCP provincial government, which was not jurisdictionally responsible for the area, created extra work for emergency response leaders with inquiries and attempts to exercise authority outside of the existing Parks Canada-Municipality of Jasper integrated command structure. ==See also==