Alberta Emergency Alert (AEA) confirmed the Municipality of Jasper has dropped its evacuation order to an alert because of the wildfire situation getting better. However, AEA said the Jasper Wildfire Complex remains burning in Jasper National Park. “The Municipality of Jasper is downgrading its evacuation order to an evacuation alert for the Town of Jasper,” said AEA in a Friday statement. “Jasper National Park remains closed.”This alert is in effect for everyone located in the Municipality of Jasper. AEA said Jasper residents and business owners can reenter the town. While they can return, it said Jasperites should be prepared to evacuate in one hour if the wildfire situation changes. At the moment, it said no evacuation is required. It advised people to keep their vehicles full of gas and know their family’s whereabouts. “Check the Municipality of Jasper’s Facebook page and website for the most current information,” it said. Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver confirmed the Municipality of Jasper has managed to achieve and maintain its re-entry criteria after a wildfire forced people to flee. While the re-entry started on Friday, McIver said it was tough to achieve. “Much thanks goes to the firefighters, Parks Canada, the Town of Jasper, all the first responders, so many people to thank for getting us this far, and we know this will be just the beginning of a long adventure,” said McIver. “The town is forever changed.” Although it will take time to restore Jasper, he said the Alberta government is ready to begin the process of re-entry. He added changes to fire activity or critical services could create some problems as Jasperites return, so the situation remains dynamic. The municipal affairs minister went on to say the Alberta government is happy Jasperites are returning home, but they should remain vigilant, follow the instructions of local authorities, and exercise patience. While some services have been restored in Jasper due to the hard work of many people, he said they should prepare to be as self-sufficient as possible. As he mentioned on Monday, Jasper’s reopening is not an invitation for visitors. This is because Jasperites need time and space to return home, review their situation, figure out their needs, and determine their next steps. He said Jasper will be open for business soon. The Municipality of Jasper has launched a survey to determine people’s housing needs. The survey will inform efforts to help people secure suitable housing for those who need it. He encouraged all Jasperites to take it by visiting the Alberta government’s website. He said all Jasperites need to fill out the survey, even if their houses are in perfect condition and all items are working. The Alberta government wants to know if they have rooms or parts of their house that can be other people’s temporary residences. In closing, McIver said the Alberta government will continue to be there for Jasperites as it moves towards rebuilding Jasper. He said it is working closely with Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper through the Joint Recovery Task Force. Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) Deputy Managing Director Joe Zatylny said there is an updated re-entry guide on the Municipality of Jasper’s website. “There’s also a re-entry support welcome centre at Commemoration Park where returnees can find additional guidance, including information about insurance, supports around mental health, cleaning supplies, but residents are asked to bring supplies when they come back to their residence,” said Zatylny. “Professionals who can help residents safely sift through their properties will also be on site at the centre.” Zatylny pointed out re-entry to Jasper is restricted to residents and business owners out of consideration to them. Those returning will need to show their Parks Canada resident parking passes or self-declare. Alberta Wildfire Information Unit Manager Christie Tucker said there are 105 wildfires burning in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta. “Of those, eight are out of control, 45 are being held, and 51 are under control,” said Tucker. “Nine hundred eighty-six wildfires that have started this year have been extinguished.” Tucker said rain and cooler weather has allowed firefighters to contain wildfires on the landscape and are expected to continue throughout most of Alberta over the weekend. Alberta Wildfire welcomes the news Jasperites can begin to return home and is supporting the incident management team in containing the wildfire. McIver followed up by saying different households will give different answers on if they stay in Jasper. “Some households may walk into their home with the electricity on and the gas hooked up and everything looking sort of like it was, except everything in the fridge might be spoiled,” he said. “Other people might not have any home at all and that will be quite different.” In some other households, he said their homes might look somewhat normal, but there might be damage that prevents them from having services for a few weeks. Parks Canada and the AEMA warned these people they might need to camp in their homes during that time. The Municipality of Jasper said on Monday the incident management team intends to have the re-entry requirements for it met by Friday after the wildfire forced people to evacuate. READ MORE: UPDATED: Municipality of Jasper says re-entry criteria could be met by FridayThis means Jasper will have the minimum services to be safe for Jasperites to return. “We are working hard to ensure residents have a safe and timely return,” said the Municipality of Jasper.
