EDMONTON – Wildfire Update – Alberta’s government will implement a plan to give Jasper residents who have lost their homes an opportunity to tour the community by bus. The Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 has canceled the evacuation order for Chipewyan Lake and residents can now return home.
Bus tours for Jasper residents
- The Municipality of Jasper, Parks Canada and Alberta’s government are working together to finalize the details of a plan to provide those who have lost their homes an opportunity to tour the community by bus. Alberta’s government is partnering with the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada to implement this plan.
- A comprehensive package of instructions for residents is being targeted for release soon.
- The Municipality of Jasper, Parks Canada and Alberta’s government are working together to expedite these tours. However, the tours can only proceed once the fire situation improves as it is currently very dangerous.
Telephone Town Hall
- Albertans evacuated due to wildfires can join a telephone town hall on Tuesday, August 6 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to get updates on the wildfire situation and answers to their questions from Alberta’s government, alongside Alberta Wildfire and other Alberta government officials.
- Join online at alberta.ca/emergency or by phone at 1-833-380-0691.
Evacuation orders and alerts:
- An evacuation order for Jasper and Jasper National Park remains in effect. Reception centres in Grande Prairie, Calgary and Edmonton are providing support to evacuees:
- Grande Prairie reception centre: Holiday Inn and Suites, 9816 107 Street.
- Calgary reception centre: Shouldice Arena, 1515 Home Road NW.
- Edmonton reception centre: Kennedale Site Building #2, 12814 58 Street.
- The Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada are sharing information on re-entry as it becomes available.
- The Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 has canceled an evacuation order for Chipewyan Lake and residents can now return home.
- Little Red River Cree First Nation has announced a tentative re-entry date of August 5 for all communities (John D’or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River).
- The evacuation order remains in effect and residents should stay in place until the First Nation provides official notice the evacuation order has been canceled.
- Re-entry planning is ongoing, and residents should stay connected with the First Nation for updates.
- The Municipal District of Bighorn has lifted road closures for Harold Creek Road and Highway 40. The northeast portion of the Ghost Public Land Use Zone remains closed.
- The area closure is located from south of the Red Deer River, east of Highway 40, west of the Public Land Use Zone boundary and north of Highway 579.
- Affected residents should monitor the Municipal District of Bighorn’s website and Facebook page for updates.
- Alberta Emergency Alerts are issued by local authorities and are updated at their discretion. For the best source of information on the status of evacuation orders and alerts, residents are encouraged to follow their local authorities’ preferred communication channels for updates.
- Albertans are encouraged to download the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app, which immediately pushes all alerts out to subscribers.
- Evacuees can also call the Government of Alberta contact centre at 310-4455 for assistance.
Current situation
- There are 118 wildfires currently burning across Alberta in the Forest Protection Area.
- 19 are classified as out of control, 49 are being held, 50 are under control.
- The response is focused on the wildfires that pose a direct threat to human life, communities, critical infrastructure, and major industrial facilities.
- According to Parks Canada, the wildfire in Jasper National Park remains classified as out of control and is expected to become more active over the coming days with warmer weather.
- This wildfire is estimated at approximately 32,000 hectares.
- Alberta’s government is supporting Parks Canada by providing overhead staff, crews, helicopters and heavy equipment. Airtankers are also available when needed.
- Personnel from other jurisdictions, as well as the Canadian Armed Forces, are also assisting with firefighting efforts in the region.
- Semo Complex Fire HWF061 is still classified as out of control at more than 97,000 hectares in size.
- It is approximately two kilometres from highway 58, 13 kilometres from Garden River, 19 kilometres from John D’Or Prairie and 15 kilometres from Fox Lake.
- Rainfall yesterday and overnight helped reduce fire activity. There is the potential for further precipitation this evening.
- Fire danger remains extreme throughout most of southern Alberta, but Alberta Wildfire has resources and personnel prepared to respond should wildfires break out in the area.
- Since January 1, there have been 1,008 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, burning more than 560,000 hectares.
- Nearly 1,900 Alberta firefighters and support staff are currently working in the province.
- In addition to provincial resources, Alberta has imported firefighters, support staff, and equipment from other jurisdictions to support wildfire response and suppression efforts.
- Although lightning has caused more than half of wildfires burning today, the other half are caused by people. Albertans are urged to prevent any additional fire starts that will add to the already extreme wildfire danger in the southern part of the province.
- Airtankers may use water from nearby lakes to fight wildfires. If you are on the water and see an aircraft coming to collect water, please move to the shore. Failing to do so impedes firefighting efforts. Albertans who do not comply could face a mandatory court appearance.
- Information about wildfires can be found by visiting the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
Fire bans
- A fire ban remains in place for the southern portion of the Forest Protection Area. High Level, Grande Prairie, Edson and parts of the Whitecourt Forest Area have moved to a fire restriction. Peace River is now under a fire advisory and the fire ban in Fort McMurray has been lifted. Please confirm the fire danger for your area at alberta.ca/fire-bans.
- Cities, towns, villages, and federal lands such as national parks have the authority to issue their own fire bans. A fire ban remains in place around Jasper National Park.
- Albertans should visit their local municipality’s website or social media to confirm if a fire ban is in effect in their area.
- All Albertans have a role to play in wildfire prevention. Albertans must follow all fire bans and restrictions to avoid new fire starts. If you see smoke or flames in the forest, call 310-FIRE to report it.
- Applying FireSmart principles to homes and property can mitigate the risk of wildfire damage. Removing flammable materials and vegetation around the property and preventing embers from accumulating can help protect your home from wildfires. To learn more, visit FireSmart Alberta.
Getting involved in wildfire response
- We’ve heard from Albertans who are eager to support wildfire operations near their communities, and we’re providing opportunities to do so through the Wildfire Reservist Program.
- If you’re interested in lending a hand, learn more at alberta.ca.
Red Cross financial supports for Jasper residents
- The Canadian Red Cross is providing $750 in one-time financial assistance per household for people evacuated from their primary residence in Jasper.
- To access this assistance, people must be registered with the Red Cross.
- People who have not yet registered with the Red Cross are encouraged to do so online or by calling 1-800-863-6582 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
- With the federal and provincial governments matching donations to the Canadian Red Cross, every $1 donated will become $3 to support those most impacted by wildfires in Alberta.
Eligible for Emergency Evacuation Payments
- Residents from Jasper and Jasper National Park, Little Red River Cree Nation, Janvier 194 (part of Chipewyan Prairie First Nation) and Chipewyan Lake (part of the Municipal District of Opportunity) affected by evacuation orders are eligible for emergency evacuation payments and can now apply.
- Temporary foreign workers and seasonal workers who were employed and residing in Jasper National Park or Municipality of Jasper are also eligible for this one-time payment.
- Individuals who are part of a mandatory evacuation order exceeding a minimum of seven days, may be eligible to receive a one-time payment of $1,250 for each adult and an additional $500 for each child under the age of 18.
- Evacuees are encouraged to apply for these emergency payments online at evacuationpayment.alberta.ca or contact the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992 for assistance.
- All Albertans who have evacuated their communities due to wildfires can access Alberta Supports offices for in-person assistance. Alberta Supports office locations and updated hours are available at alberta.ca/alberta-supports.
- Over the long weekend August 3 – 5, evacuees can receive assistance at the following locations from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Grande Prairie reception centre: Holiday Inn and Suites, 9816 107 Street
- Calgary reception centre: Shouldice Arena, 1515 Home Road NW
- Edmonton reception centre: Kennedale Site Building 2, 12814 58 Street
- The Hinton Alberta Supports Centre will be open until 7:00 p.m. on August 1 and 2.
- Those in need of immediate emergency financial assistance as they leave their community can contact the Income Support Emergency Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135, which is operating 24/7.
- People who left their home community, but who were not part of a mandatory evacuation order, are not eligible for payment.
Roads and highways
- 511 Alberta is the best source of information as conditions change on our highways. Visit 511.alberta.ca.
- Alberta highways that are affected by wildfires will open and close frequently, as the safety situation varies according to weather conditions. Please be patient and respect the staff at the closure/detour sites – they are there with your safety in mind.
Jasper Area – Highway 16, 40, 47, 93 and 93A closures:
- Highway 16 is closed within the boundaries of the Jasper National Park between the West and the East Park Gates.
- Highway 16 re-opening(s):
- Beginning today, access through Jasper National Park via Highway 16 will be facilitated for commercial vehicles with a registered weight exceeding 11,794kg.
- To ensure safety, access is limited to the following times (all times in mountain daylight time):
- 5:00 a.m. – 7:00 a.m. MDT
- 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. MDT
- 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. MDT
- These times are subject to change without notice and are dependent on fire behaviour and operational needs.
- The RCMP is controlling access within the park at staffed checkpoints on Highway 16 in both directions. Drivers must stop and identify themselves at the checkpoints before proceeding.
- Highway 93 North is closed to all traffic at the Saskatchewan River Crossing (Highway 11) to Jasper townsite (Highway 16).
- Highway 93A is closed from Marmot Road to the junction of Highway 93.
- Travel is not recommended for both Highway 40 and Highway 47 south, from Highway 16 for safety reasons. Residents of area communities and valid permit holders are permitted travel. Visibility in the area is reduced due to smoke. Alternate route is via Highway 16 and Highway 22.
Highway 58 – Little Red River Cree (LRRC):
- Highway 58 remains closed except for emergency workers due to wildfire activity.
Highway 734 – RWF64
- Highway 734 is closed from Highway 11 to Highway 752 due to wildfire.
Emergency Preparedness
- Get ready for emergencies and disasters by taking simple steps now. To be prepared, Albertans need to know what to do, where to go and have enough supplies for a week or more. Supplies include food, water, medications and important documents. Include supplies for pets as well.
- Read more about emergency preparedness.
Justice
- Please continue to monitor the Alberta Court of Justice website if you have upcoming matters that were scheduled at the Jasper Courthouse: albertacourts.ca/cj
Health
- Alberta Health Services (AHS) Emergency Medical Services has a crew staged at the Jasper National Park gates on a rotating basis, for as long as resources allow.
- Seton – Jasper Healthcare Centre is intact, but the full extent of the damages to the facility are unknown. AHS sent an assessment team for initial site visit to the hospital on July 30.
- Generally, the hospital was in very good condition with no signs of water or fire damage. Some water damage is anticipated in the physician residence, but it has not been fully assessed.
- The EMS Station is intact with no apparent fire damage.
- On July 25, a boil water order was issued to the operator of Jasper Waterworks by AHS Environmental Public Health. Bottled water is being provided to first responders.
- Two of three pharmacies in Jasper remain intact, while one pharmacy was destroyed in the fire.
- Health contingency planning has been underway for several days. Once the situation is better understood within the town, AHS will develop specific plans. AHS has mobile capacity that can be deployed very quickly, depending on the conditions in the area and the state of the hospital. Additional supports will be added in Hinton as necessary.
- More broadly, AHS is supporting evacuees at various locations, including reception centres. A need for mental health supports has been identified and is being addressed among individuals at reception centers.
- For information about wildfire resources, including mental health, visit albertahealthservices.ca/news.
Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) applicants
- Through the AAIP, Alberta’s government is helping applicants whose employment is affected by wildfire evacuations in Alberta.
- Applications based on a job offer or residence in an Alberta community that has been evacuated will be held for up to a maximum of one year from any Alberta community’s evacuation date.
- Applicants affected by an Alberta wildfire will have one year to prove they meet AAIP criteria. If unemployed due to the effects of the wildfire on businesses, this includes finding a new job in an eligible occupation with an Alberta employer.
Offers of Support
- Any companies, individuals or organizations that would like to offer support to those affected by the wildfires can email their offers to EmergencySupportOffers@gov.ab.ca.
- Albertans can also donate to Alberta Red Cross in support of wildfire evacuees.
- With the federal and provincial governments matching donations to the Canadian Red Cross, every $1 donated will become $3 to support those most impacted by wildfires in Alberta.
- The donation matching will be for 30 days, retroactive to July 25.
Mental health and addiction resources
- Albertans struggling with their mental health or wanting to talk to someone about how they are feeling, resources are available:
- Call the AHS Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-303-2642 or visit www.ahs.ca/wildfire.
- Call 211 or text INFO to 211 or visit ab.211.ca to access digital supports or find local services near you.
- When calling 211 press 6 for immediate support. If you’re in B.C., dial 211 and say you’re from Alberta.
- Call Counselling Alberta at 1-833-827-4230 or visit counsellingalberta.com for online counselling services.
- Addiction supports are also available:
- Call the AHS Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322 or Health Link at 811
- Call the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program at 1-844-383-7688 for same-day treatment with no fees, no waitlist.
