Jasper Fire Anniversary

This week marks the one year anniversary of the Jasper wildfire that destroyed 32% of the buildings within the cherished Alberta town, including over 800 housing units. The scale and complexity of the wildfire required an exceptional level of coordination between responding agencies and we have a lot to learn from the experience.

An independent After-Action Report has now been published that provides a review and evaluation of the collective response to the 2024 Jasper Wildfire. First responders will recognize that it is a routine part of their jobs to debrief, analyze their work, and provide feedback after any fire. This report identified many successful elements of the Jasper response, such as the Unified Command implemented by the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada. It also identified some areas for improvement, such as a need to better coordinate and streamline decision-making procedures with provincial agencies before another disaster strikes.

The Jasper fire began on July 22 last year, with drought conditions creating a highly flammable landscape throughout the National Park. Multiple fires ignited in quick succession at critical locations in the park, including three south of the Jasper townsite, close to Athabasca Falls, and one location north of town near the Jasper Transfer Station (aka the ‘Dump’). Fueled by strong, gusting winds, the fires merged into a massive and fast-moving wildfire that spread uncontrollably across Jasper National Park, towards the town.

Less than half an hour after the fires started, the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada issued evacuation alerts and began mobilizing firefighting resources. Within three hours, the Municipality of Jasper declared a State of Local Emergency. An evacuation order was then formally issued, prompting the evacuation of over 25,000 residents and visitors. The operation was executed efficiently and effectively with most evacuees safely relocated within six hours. That is a remarkable success.

I remember that night being glued to my phone looking for any possible updates on the situation unfolding in Jasper. Reading the chronology of it now, I am amazed at how effectively the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada dealt with the catastrophic fire complex as it was rapidly unfolding.

The findings in the independent report highlight that the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada were ready to deal with the fire as soon as it started. I am grateful for all of the preparation they did in the years leading up to the fire event, which built the foundations for an effective coordinated response. Alberta Wildfire actively supported firefighting operations but the Provincial Government involvement added some complexity to the response because it struggled to effectively support the Unified Command responsible for dealing with the emergency.

We need to learn from our response to the Jasper fire. Accepting feedback is key to making improvements. It was a catastrophic event that tested the resilience of the community, the preparedness of emergency services, and the effectiveness of wildfire management strategies in our province. A unified response depends on clearly defined roles, so emergency responders are not sidetracked by disagreements over who is in charge. Developing formal agreements and communication protocols between the Municipality of Jasper, Parks Canada, and key provincial agencies, in advance of future fires, would help define leadership responsibilities and improve efficiency of decision-making processes. The same needs to be done for all municipalities across the province.

When disaster strikes, we are all in this together. Despite the recent wet conditions we’ve had, wildfires are part of life in Alberta and we need to prepare for the next big one.