Rain and Cooler Weather Help Curb Wildfire Spread in Jasper National Park

July 26, 2024 TruthUSA

Rain and cooler temperatures have helped suppress the out-of-control wildfire that has ravaged as much as 50 percent of the townsite in Jasper National Park.

Ten to 15 millimetres of rainfall in the national park has led to “minimal” fire behaviour and spread over the course of the day, park staff said in a 10 p.m. post on its website July 25.

“This precipitation will likely keep fire behaviour low for the next 72 hours,” park staff said. “Crews will take advantage of this time to make as much progress as possible to suppress the wildfire and reduce further spread.”

The cooler, damp weather of the past 24 hours offered fire crews their first reprieve since the flames reached the community July 24.

Temperatures are supposed to remain cool throughout the day July 26 with a return to above 20 degree temperatures by the weekend, according to a Weather Network forecast, a change that park staff say will “increase wildfire activity.”

The wildfire, which roared through Jasper from the south, has joined forces with a fire burning in the north, forming one large out-of-control blaze that park staff have named “the Jasper Wildfire Complex.”

The fires have burned an estimated 36,000 hectares, staff said, but added that accurate mapping has been a challenge due to smoke, strong winds, and extreme fire behavior which have prevented aircraft from flying safely over the area. The relocation of personnel to Hinton on July 24 due to dangerous air quality, and thick cloud cover preventing satellite imaging, have also played a role.

Neighboring communities are not currently at risk, park staff said.

Town Devastation

Preliminary damage estimates suggest between 30 to 50 percent of Jasper’s structures have been damaged by the flames, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said July 25.

“We’re seeing potentially 30 to 50 percent structural damage,” Ms. Smith said during a July 25 news conference. “We don’t know particularly which structures have been damaged and which ones have been destroyed, but it’s going to be significant rebuild, and significant displacement for a long period of time.”

The federal government approved Alberta’s request for military assistance in combating the fires earlier that day, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promising to deploy Canadian Armed Forces resources “immediately.”

In a call with Ms. Smith, Mr. Trudeau said the military would provide evacuation support, wildfire support, and the coordination of firefighting and airlift assistance, according to a post from the prime minister’s office.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, who met with Alberta officials in Edmonton July 25, said 400 firefighters from Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and South Africa are currently en route to help fight the 179 wildfires still burning in Alberta.

Jasper National Park was established as Jasper Forest Park in 1907 and was renamed as a national park in 1930. It was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984 and is famous for its picturesque mountain landscape and abundant wildlife.

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