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