Rain in recent days has led to subdued wildfire behaviour in many areas of the province. Warm, dry conditions are expected for northern Alberta in the coming days, which may lead to heightened wildfire danger and activity.
Bus tours
- Bus tours continue for Jasper residents wishing to view the community.
- As of Tuesday morning, individual tours were scheduled to leave from Hinton on Tuesday, and from Valemount and Edmonton on Wednesday.
- Planning is underway for a tour leaving from Calgary on Aug. 7 and 8.
- Additional tours will be scheduled based on the number of registrations received and as long as conditions remain safe.
- Sixty-two Jasper residents participated in Monday’s tours (Aug. 5).
- Residents interested in touring the Town of Jasper can register online at Alberta.ca/emergency.
- All Jasper residents may register; however, priority access for the tours will be given to people who have lost their homes.
- As the wildfire situation in Jasper National Park continues to fluctuate, bus tours are subject to change and will only proceed at the direction of the incident command team in Jasper and as conditions allow.
- To ensure everyone’s safety, initially, no one will be permitted to leave the bus while inside the national park.
- Once eligible residents have registered, they will be contacted with more details.
- Please note media will not be permitted to participate in the tours.
- As of Tuesday, Aug. 6, there were 264 households registered, representing 576 individual Jasper residents.
- Owners of critical services, including gas stations, medical support, emergency services, grocery stores, pharmacies, banking, telecom and public works are being contacted and scheduled to view their businesses to assess damage and understand current conditions.
Telephone town hall
- Albertans evacuated due to wildfires can join a telephone town hall on Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 6 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.
- If you’re not able to join, recordings will be posted after each event.
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.
- An evacuation alert for Saddle Hills County remains in effect.
- Residents and visitors south of Township Road 790, between Range Road 102 and Range Road 111, should be prepared to evacuate on short notice, if required.
- Updates will be provided at saddlehills.ab.ca.
- The northeast portion of the Ghost Public Land Use Zone in the Municipal District of Bighorn 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.
- There are no permanent residents in the area of closure. Affected residents should monitor the Municipal District of Bighorn’s website and Facebook page for updates.
- The Stud Creek Road/Burnt Timber Road remains closed.
- Little Red River Cree Nation lifted its evacuation order and residents began to return to the John D’Or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River communities on Aug. 5. An evacuation alert remains in place for all three communities as a precaution to help ensure residents are prepared to leave again on short notice if required.
Current situation
- There are 119 wildfires currently burning across Alberta in the Forest Protection Area.
- 15 are classified as out of control, 42 are being held and 62 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. Cooler weather and precipitation forecast over the next few days should help subdue wildfire behaviour.
- This wildfire is estimated at approximately 34,000 hectares.
- Alberta’s government continues to support Parks Canada by providing overhead staff, crews, helicopters and heavy equipment, as well as directing the military. Airtankers are also available when needed.
- The Semo Complex wildfire HWF061 is still classified as out of control at more than 97,500 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.
- More than 450 wildland firefighters and support personnel, 22 helicopters and more than 100 pieces of heavy equipment are currently working on the Semo Wildfire Complex.
- The Kiska Complex wildfires RWF062 and RWF064 remain classified as out of control at more than 4,900 hectares and nearly 7,000 hectares in size respectively.
- Cooler temperatures and precipitation are expected to continue, which will help crews make progress on both of these fires.
- Residents in the Rocky Mountain House forest area near Nordegg may see smoke due to the Kiska Wildfire Complex.
- Wildfire GWF 077, located in Saddle Hills County, is classified as out of control at more than 150 hectares.
- Saddle Hills County has issued an evacuation alert for the Gundy and Gordondale areas.
- Several provincial parks and recreation areas have been closed due to wildfire activity. The Aylmer, Crescent Falls, Elk Creek Fish Pond, Peppers Lake and Wapiabi Provincial Recreation Areas, as well as Ram Falls Provincial Park, are all closed. Check Albertaparks.ca for the latest advisories.
- Since January 1, there have been 1,036 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, burning more than 600,000 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.
- 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, including temporary foreign workers and seasonal workers, 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 one-time emergency evacuation payments of $1,250 for each adult and $500 for each child under the age of 18.
- Evacuees are encouraged to apply for these emergency payments online at evacuationpayment.alberta.ca, by calling the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992 or by visiting an Alberta Supports office for assistance. Locations can be found at alberta.ca/alberta-supports.
- Alberta Supports Centres are open Monday to Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Those in need of immediate emergency financial assistance can contact the Income Support Emergency Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135. The contact centre operates 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 real time information as conditions change on our highways. Follow on X (formerly known as Twitter) @511alberta.
- Alberta highways that are impacted by the wildfires will open and close frequently as the safety situation varies in the 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, 93 and 93A closures:
- Highway 16 is closed inside Jasper National Park.
- Jasper evacuees in personal vehicles were piloted from Valemount through Jasper National Park to Alberta evacuation centers in Hinton and Edmonton via Highway 16 from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. August 5th.
- Local vehicle traffic for private motorists and business support vehicles is allowed between the Highway 16/Highway 40 checkpoint and Jasper National Park’s East Gate, but they are not allowed to transit the park due to ongoing firefighting activity and wildfire/security concerns.
- Commercial vehicles are allowed limited daytime windows in which to transit Jasper National Park on Highway 16 without stopping in the park.
- 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.
Highway 734 – Clearwater County
- Highway 734 South of Nordegg is closed between Ram Falls airport and Township Road 383A.
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.
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.
- AHS North Zone leadership has connected directly with Municipality of Jasper elected officials and administrators regarding the process to restore basic services.
- 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.
- For information about wildfire resources, including mental health, visit albertahealthservices.ca/news.
Education
- Alberta Education is working with affected school authorities to ensure support and stability for students in the weeks and months ahead.
- Families are encouraged to contact their school authority for the most up-to-date information on school operations.
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.
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.
- In support of bus tours for residents to see damage, mental health and social support referral services will be on site prior for helping people to prepare, as well as on the buses and afterwards to ensure people know where they can turn for help.
