Only Jasper residents will be allowed to re-enter the townsite on Friday (Aug. 16) as non-residents and the media are asked to give them space.
Officials emphasized this point while providing more detailed re-entry instructions for residents during a media briefing on Wednesday (Aug. 14).
“Friday will be a day of deep emotion for residents returning for the first time,” said Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland.
“Some members of media have seen the state of the town of Jasper. Many residents have not, and in fairness, photographs and images on television do not convey the sense of loss that would be felt in the hearts of residents when they see their homes and their town again.
“For that reason, on Monday, I spoke with many members of the media to remind them that residents will need the time and space to confront their grief in private.”
Ireland added how this decision was made after officials heard concerns from many residents who wanted privacy.
RCMP will be stationed at the east entrance of town to ensure everyone entering is a resident.
The only entrance will be the east entrance, and residents will be asked to use the west entrance to exit town.
“Non-residents will be directed to drive through the park on Highway 16 without stopping,” said Jonathan Large, incident commander with Parks Canada.
“Anyone trying to enter the town without a resident re-entry guide will be stopped by the RCMP and directed to return to Highway 16. It's important that residents have spaces to process their immense losses in the community.”
RCMP confirmed that residents would be able to bring friends and family who are non-residents for emotional support.
Parks Canada was not able to provide a timeline on when non-residents would be able to enter the townsite.
Residents who live in Jasper National Park but outside the main townsite will receive instructions when it is safe for them to return at a later date.
“The fire is still classified as out of control, and although we’re making great strides with all of the assistance we’ve gotten from our partnering agencies, I do want to remind people, and it will be in a lot of our messaging, that there is still an active wildfire impacting significant portions of the park,” Large said.
“Until a time when, as an incident command team, we can make the recommendation that the fire is no longer a threat to other areas of the park, we’re not able to provide timelines for safe re-entry into those areas.”
More than three weeks ago, over 25,000 people fled Jasper due to wildfires that have destroyed a third of the townsite.
Crews have been busy preparing the town for re-entry by mitigating hazards, restoring critical services and containing the wildfire, but officials warn that many services will still not be available.
Re-entry process
Starting at 7 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 16, residents and business owners coming from east of Jasper must stop at the east gate to receive their resident re-entry guide and then proceed to the east entrance of town.
Residents coming from the west should travel past the west gate and go directly to the east entrance of town to receive their guide.
They can show their Parks Canada-issued resident parking pass or self-declare.
The re-entry guides also include a placard from ATCO gas.
Once residents arrive at their property, they must place the placard visibly in a window or somewhere that is easily visible from the street to receive a gas relighting service.
“As for what residents can expect in town, the state of Jasper is very different now,” Large said.
“The process of returning may be intense for some. There's disruption to the landscape and property in the townsite due to the emergency response and to the fire. There's significant damage and possibly triggering sites.”
He advised residents to read about mental health supports before returning.
“You’ve probably seen many photos, and these photos will not prepare you for the smell and the sights when you get into town,” he said.
“Depending on the wind direction, the smell of smoke may be overwhelming to some. Be prepared with N95 masks.”
First responders may have moved items from balconies or porches to lawns or sidewalks to reduce any build-up of combustibles next to homes.
Parks Canada warned that wildlife continue to frequent the town and ask residents to keep a safe distance away.
Highway 16 is open from 7 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and residents can enter and leave Jasper with their resident re-entry guide during this time.
Residents can leave Jasper after 9 p.m. but won’t be able to re-enter between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Check 511 Alberta for up-to-date information.
