Jasper wildfire hits town, with several structures and hotels ablaze

 

On Wednesday night, heartbreaking images emerged from one of Alberta's most scenic destinations as a wildfire reached the mountain town of Jasper.

The fire, which started in Jasper National Park, arrived at the townsite around 6 p.m. Some first responders had to evacuate because it was too dangerous to stay.

Parks Canada confirmed that multiple buildings in the town were affected. 

James Eastham, the wildfire information officer for the Jasper Complex Wildfire, stated, “There are significant numbers of structural firefighters in town actively fighting structural fires. There has been structural loss, but I can’t confirm how many locations or specific structures.”

The historic Jasper Park Lodge, a well-known resort in the area, was impacted, according to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The Maligne Lodge, located at the southwest end of town, was destroyed, confirmed by the hotel’s ownership late Wednesday night.

“Sadly, we lost our beloved Maligne Lodge this evening,” said Karyn Decore, president and CEO of Decore Hotels, which also owns the Tonquin Inn and Wicked Cup in Jasper. Global News has yet to confirm which other properties might be affected.

In its final update of the evening at 10 p.m., Parks Canada acknowledged it had been an “exceptionally difficult day for Jasperites, incident personnel, and everyone who loves Jasper.”

“As the pictures and videos circulating online show, significant loss has occurred within the townsite,” the update said, adding that firefighters are working overnight to try to save the rest of the town.

Parks Canada understands people want to know if their homes, businesses, and other favorite places have been lost but cannot confirm specifics at this time.

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