Smith says 28 days reasonable time for Jasper wildfire evacuees to go home

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Jasper wildfire evacuees could expect to head home after 28 days like those from other natural disasters did. While 28 days is a while to wait, Smith said there are a few reasons why. “One is being in the environment yesterday, I can tell you there’s billows of smoke still coming up,” said Smith in a Saturday interview on Your Province. Your Premier. on Corus Radio. “It is still an active fire site.” Corus Radio host Wayne Nelson started off by saying an appropriate timeline would be based on past experiences. “As you said, Slave Lake back in 2011,” said Nelson. “Fort Mac five years later.” Nelson asked how long it would be before people could come back to Jasper to start rebuilding it and what is happening with it right now. Smith pointed out the north and south wildfires have merged. Because of the merger, she said people do not want the wildfire to resurge and threaten Jasper again, so it has to be under control. When it comes to materials in Jasper, she said they have to be doused because an ember with a flame can turn into an inferno. She confirmed the firefighters are doing plenty of work of digging out and dousing the area. Alberta has night vision helicopters and drones to allow it to see hotspots. She predicted they might be deployed in the area to assist with identifying and putting them out. The premier went on to say people have to reenergize and regas homes one by one to ensure there are not leaks or explosions if there has been damaged infrastructure for power or gas. While this news might be frustrating for people to hear, she said that is the process. She said the Alberta government is looking to get in as soon as possible to the Jasper Healthcare Centre to see if there was any smoke damage or repairs needing to be done. It had learned the roof had caught on fire. By having critical infrastructure available and ready to go, Smith said it is a key milestone to reach to bring people back. She said the Alberta government will be facilitating bus tours for people to see what the destruction looks like and know what they will be returning home to. Because the wildfire has harmed Jasper, she said it will have to figure out temporary housing. Its latest count shows 358 structures have been destroyed, and most of them are homes. If multiple people are living in a home, Smith said more will need temporary housing. She said they are going to have to figure out spaces for that, bring this housing in, and rely on Hinton to bring construction workers in. “All that has to be co-ordinated,” she said. Jasper caught on fire on Wednesday, with a popular lodge and many other buildings in the town up in flames.READ MORE: UPDATED: Town of Jasper ablaze, fire reaches historic Park Lodge, military on the wayParks Canada Incident Commander Katie Ellsworth and Municipality of Jasper Incident Commander Christine Nadon confirmed parts of the southern wildfire in Jasper National Park had found their way into the town’s limits. “At just before 6 p.m. this evening, portions of the South Fire in Jasper National Park reached the outskirts of the Jasper townsite after being driven by strong winds gusts from the south and southeast,” said Ellsworth and Nadon.

Smith says 28 days reasonable time for Jasper wildfire evacuees to go home

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