EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — About 5,000 residents of a resort town in the Canadian Rockies who fled their homes because of a wildfire can return on Friday, officials said Monday.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said residents should prepare for “a new normal” but added that essential services have been restored to the point where they can allow a blanket re-entry.
About 25,000 people fled both the town of Jasper and its national park on the night of July 22 as wildfires inched closer to the area. Two days later, wind-whipped flames overwhelmed crews and destroyed one-third of the town’s buildings.
Key infrastructure, like schools and the water treatment plant, was spared in the picturesque resort town.
Jasper National Park is considered a national treasure. The United Nations designated the parks that make up the Canadian Rockies, including Jasper, a World Heritage Site in 1984 for its striking mountain landscape.
Officials said utility services could still be hit and miss. Some homes may look fine on the outside but will have sustained heavy smoke or water damage on the inside. Other homes may be fenced off as public safety hazards.
The main highway through Jasper National Park, Highway 16, reopened last week, but park trails, campgrounds and day-use areas remain closed pending safety checks.
Officials are still trying to figure out where to put students for the upcoming school year.
Hospital services are not fully back. Garbage collection plans are still being worked on. Parts of town are under a boil water advisory.
In Edmonton, Alberta Jasper resident Victoria Wilson said she was “itching to get back” home, but now feels a bit of trepidation.
A record number of wildfires in 2023 forced more than 235,000 people across Canada to evacuate and sent thick smoke into parts of the U.S., leading to hazy skies and health advisories in multiple U.S. cities.
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