A Third of Canadian Rockies Town Jasper Is Destroyed by Wildfire

(Bloomberg) -- The extent of the devastation from the wildfire that swept through Alberta’s resort town of Jasper is starting to emerge, as fire crews continue to fight the massive blaze that has engulfed the iconic national park in the Canadian Rockies.

The inferno destroyed about 30% of the town, with 358 of 1,113 structures burned down, Jasper National Park said Friday in a statement. All critical infrastructure has been protected, though, including the hospital, emergency services building, schools, activity center and wastewater treatment plant. The most significant damage to homes and businesses was on Jasper’s west side, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

“There’s also a lot of work still ahead of us and there will be many emotions as we go through all of this, especially for the residents of Jasper,” Smith said in a Friday media briefing. “It’s important to note that the fire is still out of control and it remains unsafe for people to return.”

Overnight rains into Friday helped provide some relief to firefighters, bringing increased humidity and lower temperatures, according to Parks Canada. Still, winds are anticipated to reach up to 30 kilometers (19 miles) an hour in the area, which may increase activity of the out-of-control blaze.

“The priority for the 154 firefighters in Jasper is to put out any hot spots in the outskirts of Jasper and in the trees directly surrounding the town of Jasper and all structures,” the park agency said, adding that the area remains closed to the public.

Bone-dry conditions across Western Canada fueled a wildfire that spread within a week in and around the scenic national park. Authorities evacuated around 25,000 town residents and park visitors after the blaze spread out of control Monday. The fire has since expanded to encompass 360 square kilometers or more than half the size of Toronto, Canada’s most-populous city.

“It’s a huge fire, there is no predictability at this point,” Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said Friday in a media conference. “And until the fire can be deemed to be under control, I don’t think we can realistically talk about reentry plans.”

The Jasper wildfire could potentially cause up to C$700 million ($506 million) in insured losses, with larger claims from tourism businesses, Morningstar DBRS said Friday in a report. Related losses from the a higher-than-average wildfire season should still be manageable for Canadian property and casualty insurance companies, it said.

Jasper is at the heart of a huge national park in the Canadian Rockies that shares its name and at the northern end of the Icefields Parkway, a highway that connects the wilderness area to Banff National Park in the south. The town of 4,100 residents is a prime tourist spot and is known for its natural beauty and wildlife, including grizzly bears, elk and moose. Almost 2.5 million people visited Jasper last year, according to Parks Canada.

Canadian National Railway Co., whose link between the country’s interior and the Pacific coast passes through the area, resumed rail operations Friday through Jasper after suspending them earlier in the week, according to an emailed statement. The newly expanded Trans Mountain oil pipeline that cuts through Jasper continues to operate, the operator said Friday by email.

Alberta has 164 active wildfires burning with 49 out of control, according to provincial government agency Alberta Wildfire.

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