9.68°C Vancouver
connect fm logo

Aug 12, 2024 3:38 PM - The Canadian Press

Jasper evacuees to get information on phased re-entry of town today

Share On
jasper-to-learn-date-for-return-to-town-today
Parks Canada noted over the weekend that activity in the town was ramping up in preparation for the return of residents, including work to reconnect essential services to gas, water and electricity.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Details about when and how evacuated residents of Jasper will be allowed to return to their homes nearly three weeks after a wildfire forced them to flee will be announced today.

Parks Canada says Unified Incident Command will hold a virtual media briefing this morning to provide information on the phased re-entry into the town of Jasper.

On Saturday, Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the date when people will be permitted back into the town would come Monday.

Ireland said the dedicated work of the fire incident management team meant plans to re-enter the town safely were moving faster than expected.

About 20,000 visitors to Jasper National Park and 5,000 town residents were forced out last month due to fires, and flames destroyed one-third of the town's buildings.

Parks Canada said over the weekend that 80 per cent of the northwest perimeter of the out-of-control wildfire that's been threatening the town has been contained.

"Further risks to the Municipality of Jasper have been significantly reduced thanks to the hard work and dedication of amazing firefighters and other fire specialists from around the country," the agency said in a news release on the weekend.

Officials have said key infrastructure in the town, including schools and the water treatment plant, was spared.

Parks Canada noted over the weekend that activity in the town was ramping up in preparation for the return of residents, including work to reconnect essential services to gas, water and electricity.

It also said information sessions were being planned to help residents navigate some logistical challenges following their return.

Bus tours of the town for evacuees, which began last week, are continuing this week. Authorities warn, however, the wildfire situation in Jasper National Park continues to fluctuate and the buses will only proceed if conditions allow.

The Alberta government said there were 115 wildfires burning across Alberta in the province's Forest Protection Area on Sunday. Thirteen were classified as out of control, 37 are being held and 65 are under control.

Latest news

See All
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Indian national wanted in murder case arrested after being refused entry at Canada–U.S. border

U.S. border officials say a 22-year-old Indian national was taken into custody at the Peace Bridge crossing at Fort Erie after Canadian officers refused him entry over the weekend. The case is drawing renewed attention to cross-border screening practices that affect travel between Ontario and Western New York, a corridor frequently used by travellers from Ontario’s South Asian communities. According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the man – identified as Vishat Kumar – had previously entered the United States without authorization in 2024 and did not appear for a
chrystia-freeland-to-leave-parliament-for-senior-leadership-role-with-rhodes-trust-in-u-k
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Chrystia Freeland to leave Parliament for senior leadership role with Rhodes Trust in U.K.

Chrystia Freeland is preparing to leave federal politics next year as she moves to Oxford, England, to take up a senior leadership role with the Rhodes Trust. The educational charity confirmed that Freeland will become its next chief executive officer on July 1, overseeing one of the world’s most influential international scholarship programs. The organization administers the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings students from around the globe to study at the University of Oxford. Freeland’s appointment places her at the centre of an institution that has produced generations of leaders in publi
rain-and-snow-alerts-in-effect-as-coastal-and-northern-b-c-brace-for-strong-weather-system
BCNov 20, 2025

Rain and Snow Alerts in Effect as Coastal and Northern B.C. Brace for Strong Weather System

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a pair of weather alerts for communities along British Columbia’s north and central coast, warning that a strong frontal system could bring significant rain and heavy mountain snow through the end of the week. The agency says areas from Bella Coola through Kitimat may receive as much as 70 millimetres of rain, raising the risk of water pooling on roads and possible washouts near rivers and creeks. The system is expected to weaken by Friday, but officials caution that changing conditions may still affect travel across coastal corridors. While t
senate-approves-citizenship-reform-for-lost-canadians-as-advocates-raise-adoption-concerns
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Senate approves citizenship reform for ‘Lost Canadians’ as advocates raise adoption concerns

Federal legislation designed to address long-standing gaps in Canada’s citizenship rules has cleared the Senate and is expected to become law before a court-imposed deadline early next year. The bill aims to resolve cases involving so-called Lost Canadians – individuals born abroad to Canadian parents who were themselves born outside the country and who lost access to citizenship because of restrictive rules adopted in 2009. The changes come after the Ontario Superior Court ruled last year that the previous one-generation limit on citizenship by descent was unconstitutional. Under the upda
AlbertaNov 20, 2025

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta’s auditor general says the province’s attempt to shift community lab testing to a private operator resulted in significant financial losses and gaps in government oversight. A new report from Auditor General Doug Wylie estimates taxpayers absorbed roughly $109 million after the privatization effort collapsed. Wylie’s review found that senior officials in government advanced the plan despite internal warnings that the projected savings were unlikely. He says weaknesses in record keeping, financial analysis and contract oversight contributed to the breakdown of the agreement with D

Related News

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta’s auditor general says the province’s attempt to shift community lab testing to a private operator resulted in significant financial losses and gaps in government oversight. A new report from Auditor General Doug Wylie estimates taxpayers absorbed roughly $109 million after the privatization effort collapsed. Wylie’s review found that senior officials in government advanced the plan despite internal warnings that the projected savings were unlikely. He says weaknesses in record keeping, financial analysis and contract oversight contributed to the breakdown of the agreement with D
Albertans choose Banff’s Moraine Lake for upcoming Strong and Free licence plate

Albertans choose Banff’s Moraine Lake for upcoming Strong and Free licence plate

Alberta’s next generation of licence plates will feature one of the province’s most recognizable mountain landscapes after residents selected Moraine Lake as the new image. The provincial government said more than 240,000 people participated in an online vote, making this the first major redesign of the plate in more than four decades. The change follows the government’s earlier decision to retire the long standing Wild Rose Country slogan and replace it with Strong and Free, a phrase drawn from Alberta’s official motto and referenced in Canada’s national anthem. Officials say the up
Canada Post outlines plan to reduce workforce through attrition as financial losses deepen

Canada Post outlines plan to reduce workforce through attrition as financial losses deepen

Canada Post says it expects as many as 30,000 employees to retire or leave voluntarily by 2035 as the corporation moves to reduce its workforce and modernize its operations. The projection was shared at the Crown corporation’s annual meeting, where leaders described a decade of significant restructuring driven by declining mail volumes and growing financial pressures. President and CEO Doug Ettinger told attendees that the postal service will rely on attrition to downsize from the roughly 62,000 employees on staff at the end of last year. He said the approach is intended to manage change gra
connect fm logo

Legals

Privacy policy
Journalism code of ethics
© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.
MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

About
Advertisers
Careers
Contact
Feedback
Accessibility Plan
BC Children's Hospital
Android app linkApple app link