Parks Canada fire preparedness in Jasper has been hailed as a national model by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, who Thursday lauded the agency’s efforts. But Blacklock's Reporter says Guilbeault's office declined to reveal how many thousands of hectares of dead pine, considered a known fire risk, remain standing in Jasper National Park.“The Town of Jasper is arguably one of the best-prepared towns in the country to face the type of wildfire we have seen,” said Guilbeault, expressing gratitude towards Parks Canada.Despite these efforts, a wildfire on July 24 destroyed 358 buildings in Jasper. Under Acts of Parliament, Parks Canada is responsible for all forest management and fire preparedness near the Jasper townsite.“Removing dead trees, thinning, doing landscaping, replacing conifers with deciduous trees to try and minimize the impact of a potential forest fire on a town like Jasper, the fact all of these things were done has helped to save large parts of the town,” said Guilbeault, noting that the fire had destroyed a third of structures in Jasper.Guilbeault highlighted that Parks Canada has “been putting in place measures to try and limit the potential impact of forest fires for decades,” emphasizing that these efforts have been ongoing in Jasper since the late 1990s.However, the Minister’s Office has refused to release data on how many thousands of hectares of dead pine were left standing in the park after a beetle infestation. Sean Mitchell, spokesperson for the Minister, stated that some 500 hectares were cut “to reduce fuel risk and the risk of wildfire.”Controlled burns were applied to other stands of dead pine, said Mitchell. “Prescribed fires were completed in Jasper National Park over the last few years,” he said, adding that “approximately 1,500 hectares were treated.”Parks managers have repeatedly acknowledged that dead pine poses a fire risk. “Obviously one of the big concerns is the dead trees,” said Darlene Upton, vice-president of Parks Canada, during 2020 hearings of the Commons environment committee.A 2021 Briefing Book warned: “There is still much work to do to mitigate Mountain Pine Beetle related impacts, particularly in the forests surrounding communities within the Rocky Mountain National Parks, e.g. Jasper.”Even as late as 2022, a Parks Canada Implementation Report admitted that precautions were inadequate. “Fire has not yet been applied for Whitebark Pine restoration,” said the report to Parliament, noting that “mechanical thinning has been completed in 1.6 hectares, which is a small area relative to the amount of Whitebark Pine habitat.”Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, Alberta's Liberal representative in the federal cabinet, underscored the magnitude of the Jasper fire yesterday. “This is a fire that has burned about 35,000 hectares,” he told reporters. “We are talking about something that is on a scale hard to imagine.”
Parks Canada fire preparedness in Jasper has been hailed as a national model by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, who Thursday lauded the agency’s efforts. But Blacklock's Reporter says Guilbeault's office declined to reveal how many thousands of hectares of dead pine, considered a known fire risk, remain standing in Jasper National Park.“The Town of Jasper is arguably one of the best-prepared towns in the country to face the type of wildfire we have seen,” said Guilbeault, expressing gratitude towards Parks Canada.Despite these efforts, a wildfire on July 24 destroyed 358 buildings in Jasper. Under Acts of Parliament, Parks Canada is responsible for all forest management and fire preparedness near the Jasper townsite.“Removing dead trees, thinning, doing landscaping, replacing conifers with deciduous trees to try and minimize the impact of a potential forest fire on a town like Jasper, the fact all of these things were done has helped to save large parts of the town,” said Guilbeault, noting that the fire had destroyed a third of structures in Jasper.Guilbeault highlighted that Parks Canada has “been putting in place measures to try and limit the potential impact of forest fires for decades,” emphasizing that these efforts have been ongoing in Jasper since the late 1990s.However, the Minister’s Office has refused to release data on how many thousands of hectares of dead pine were left standing in the park after a beetle infestation. Sean Mitchell, spokesperson for the Minister, stated that some 500 hectares were cut “to reduce fuel risk and the risk of wildfire.”Controlled burns were applied to other stands of dead pine, said Mitchell. “Prescribed fires were completed in Jasper National Park over the last few years,” he said, adding that “approximately 1,500 hectares were treated.”Parks managers have repeatedly acknowledged that dead pine poses a fire risk. “Obviously one of the big concerns is the dead trees,” said Darlene Upton, vice-president of Parks Canada, during 2020 hearings of the Commons environment committee.A 2021 Briefing Book warned: “There is still much work to do to mitigate Mountain Pine Beetle related impacts, particularly in the forests surrounding communities within the Rocky Mountain National Parks, e.g. Jasper.”Even as late as 2022, a Parks Canada Implementation Report admitted that precautions were inadequate. “Fire has not yet been applied for Whitebark Pine restoration,” said the report to Parliament, noting that “mechanical thinning has been completed in 1.6 hectares, which is a small area relative to the amount of Whitebark Pine habitat.”Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, Alberta's Liberal representative in the federal cabinet, underscored the magnitude of the Jasper fire yesterday. “This is a fire that has burned about 35,000 hectares,” he told reporters. “We are talking about something that is on a scale hard to imagine.”
