Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has defended the provincial government’s response to last summer’s devastating wildfire in Jasper after a report released by the town criticized the province’s involvement.In a statement released on Friday, Smith said it was “disheartening” to see the report and subsequent media response that “clearly overlooked the substantial, coordinated efforts undertaken by the Alberta government during the Jasper wildfire.”The report — released Thursday — was commissioned by the town and surveyed firefighters and other participants who battled the blaze, which devastated a third of the town’s buildings last July and posed significant challenges.While the report tries to avoid assigning blame, it does state that the effort to combat the blaze and the integrated command structure between Jasper and Parks Canada was effective until it became hampered by the Alberta government’s involvement.The response to the Jasper Wildfire Complex “demonstrated the effectiveness of the strong Unified Command established by the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada,” the report stated.“Provincial involvement added complexity to the response, as the Province of Alberta, though not jurisdictionally responsible for leading the incident, regularly requested information and sought to exercise decision-making authority.".Records show Parks Canada left 154,000 acres of dead pine in Jasper before devastating fire .It goes on to say the province, while not jurisdictionally responsible for taking charge of the situation, made things more difficult with regular information requests and by seeking to exercise decision-making authority.“Provincial involvement added complexity,” the report states, highlighting how jurisdictional overlap created political challenges that hindered the response.Inefficiencies in the Alberta Emergency Management Agency’s resource management further compounded issues, with problems in tracking and allocating resources leading to confusion and increased safety risks.The premier hit back, commending the province’s swift deployment of emergency crews, funding, and operational support, saying they played a “critical role” in protecting lives and infrastructure.She said the government provided Alberta Wildfire crews, equipment, and expertise from “day one” and immediately relocated additional crews and equipment close to Jasper, “to be on standby for when Parks Canada requested them.”.Parks Canada slashed fire budget before devastating Jasper wildfire .Smith also went on to point out that Jasper National Park is a federally managed area falling under Parks Canada’s jurisdiction, meaning the initial response and management fell under federal control. Therefore, management of the fire did not fall under Alberta Wildfire jurisdiction until it breached the town.“Alberta provided support promptly when called upon,” Smith reiterated, noting that the Emergency Management Cabinet Committee approved $181 million in disaster financial assistance along with property tax relief.The town's chief administrator, Bill Given, said in a Thursday news release that by sharing the report, the town was following in the footsteps of other Alberta communities devastated by wildfires in previous years.“By sharing our experiences now, we hope to contribute to the growing body of knowledge that supports better planning, stronger partnerships, and more resilient communities across Alberta,” Given stated.On Thursday, Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi accused the United Conservative government of injecting politics into the situation.“This report shows that their interference and their constant picking fights with Ottawa cost valuable time and resources,” he said on X..Parks Canada ignored fire risk, left 577,000 acres of dead pine before $1.2B Jasper blaze .Three popular Jasper National Park areas remain closed after wildfire damage.Smith countered, saying the report and media response not only appear to be “politically motivated” but are also “misguided,” and only use “selective framing.”“Local officials raised no concerns when provincial wildfire firefighting teams arrived rapidly with personnel and equipment, nor when Alberta stepped up to fill gaps in funding, logistics, and accommodations,” she stated.Smith has reiterated the province remains committed to working with all levels of government, "to ensure communities are protected and responses are effective, now and in the future.”The blaze hit the town on July 24, 2024, displacing 2,000 residents.An estimated 25,000 residents and visitors had been evacuated days earlier.Responders battled the blaze for days on end and managed to protect 68% of the resort town and all of its critical infrastructure.The fire, which claimed the life of 24-year-old firefighter Morgan Kitchen, was not fully extinguished until April 2025.Residents returned three weeks after the initial blaze.
