A wildfire spread to the small town of Jasper yesterday evening, engulfing homes and shops in the area. The wildfire turned into a fire blown by strong winds, burning very quickly and with ashes and flames being sprayed hundreds of feet into the air.
Fire officials say the wildfire that swept through Jasper was a fast-moving wall of fire.
Canada Parks Service wildfire information officer James · Eastham said firefighters faced a wall of fire that was difficult to control.
After the flames spread to town, Eastham said in an interview on Wednesday night: "The fire is very intense. ”
"Firefighters saw fires that were 300 to 400 feet high and continued to spread at a rate of about 15 meters per minute."
The fire engulfed several buildings, including the Maligne Lodge and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Kar·yn Decore's family has owned the Marlene Lodge for over 60 years, and she is saddened by the destruction of the inn and heartbroken by her staff – many of whom come from around the world.
Her family also owns the Tonquin Inn in Jasper, but she's not sure if the second hotel has disappeared as well. "This is one of our most treasured parks and treasures in Canada," she said. "It's horrible to see this town engulfed in flames."
On social media platform X, the account of Fairmont Jasper Park Inn said the fire had spread to the hotel grounds, but the extent of the damage was not yet known.
Jasper Mayor Richard ·Ireland choked up Wednesday night that an out-of-control wildfire had burned his neighborhood: "It's simply the worst nightmare in our community." ”
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that a rapidly spreading wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its towns Wednesday night, and Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for assistance from the federal government.
The Canada Parks Service posted on social media at 10 p.m. local time that "significant damage has occurred in the township" but "it is not possible to report the extent of damage at a specific location or block at this time."
The Canada Parks Service began moving many first responders to Hinton, Alberta, on Wednesday when a convoy of RCMP vehicles pulled away from the neighborhood in the evening.
As of 8:30 p.m., air quality deteriorated so badly that firefighters without self-contained breathing apparatus were forced to evacuate.
Firefighters are still working to protect buildings and critical infrastructure in the town, about 365 kilometers west of Edmonton, including the sewage treatment plant and the Trans Mountain pipeline.
On July 25, Environment Canada's chart shows widespread fire areas.
James · Eastham, Parks Service wildfire information officer for the Canada Parks Service, told reporters late Wednesday: "We mobilized as many resources as possible to respond to this fire as quickly as possible." ”
"Unfortunately, given today's situation and the fire, these resources simply cannot stop the fire from spreading to the town."
On Wednesday afternoon, helicopter sprinklers were ineffective in extinguishing the fire, and water cannons could not help due to dangerous flight conditions. The joint press release said the fire guard work could not be completed until heavy equipment was evacuated from the line of fire to ensure safety.
According to the Alberta Wildfire Agency, there were 176 wildfires across the province as of 10 p.m. Mountain Time. More than 17,500 people have been displaced by various fires across the province.
What is the impact on tourists? Can I get a refund for a flight tour?
Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Rockies of Canada. Jasper is located east of the B.C. border, about a four-hour drive west of Edmonton. An extensive network of trails and green spaces, combined with opportunities for rafting, skiing and water cruising, make it a popular travel destination for tourists.
In response to the fires, the Canada Parks Service closed Jasper National Park until August 6 when residents and visitors were not allowed to enter. Prior to this, all park reservations will be cancelled and refunded.
Parks Canada staff said there will be an update on the reopening of the park in the future. There may be more closures as well. Officials said a cancellation fee would be charged for cancellations made after Aug. 6, pending further announcements.
The Via Rail Canada train between Toronto and Vancouver stops in Jaspertown. The Royal Company issued a warning.
"Via Rail wishes to inform passengers that if we are unable to guarantee the safe operation of trains, trains in the area may be cancelled before departure or en route, and no alternative modes of transportation are available," the company said in a statement on Wednesday. Trains may also be delayed and air quality may also be affected. ”
Jasper also has trains between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Train service out of town before the end of Saturday has been cancelled.
A Via Rail spokesperson said in a statement that this was an "unfortunate circumstance" that was "beyond Via Rail's control." "If a passenger's train is affected, we will contact the passenger directly and give a full refund, or refund for the unfinished portion of the journey," the spokesperson wrote.
"VIA Rail is closely monitoring the situation and will resume normal service once trains in the area are able to operate safely."
What are the measures of the major airlines?
CityNews reached out to Canada's four largest airlines (Air Canada, Flair, Porter and WestJet) to ask how they were responding to wildfires in Jasper and other parts of Western Canada.
Canada
On Wednesday, an Air Canada spokesperson said the airline had put in place a "goodwill policy" to make flight change options more flexible due to wildfires in Alberta. An update posted on the website on Tuesday said this only applies to flights from the Prairie (about 400 kilometers north of Jasper) and Fort McMurray.
"Passengers currently heading to Jasper who have been affected by the Jasper evacuation operation and are not at the planned departure airport right now can contact Air Canada's call centre for assistance in rebooking their tickets from another AB/BC airport at no additional cost," the spokesperson said.
When asked if there were any plans to increase the number of flights in the region, the spokesperson said "there are no plans at the moment".
Flair Airlines
A spokesperson for Flair said in a statement that the company was not aware of a "spike in flights or enquiries" at the regional airports it serves.
"If the situation changes, we will do our best to help. So far, none of our airports are close to the affected areas, so we have not seen a surge in passenger demand or requests for cancellations/changes to flights. We are constantly watching and will change our approach as necessary. ”
When asked if airfares could rise if demand for evacuees surged, Flair's executive said, "Will prevent airfares from skyrocketing in this situation." ”
The statement noted that the airline is currently arranging special charter flights for firefighters who may fly to assist in firefighting efforts.
Porter Airlines
When asked about the wildfires, a spokesperson for Porter Air said in a statement that the airline "generally offers passengers the opportunity to postpone travel, rebook their flights, or get a refund, even if that doesn't typically apply in their fare category." ”
The spokesperson said the Edmonton route is currently operating normally and some seats are available, adding that pricing is "being managed in a standard manner".
WestJet
A WestJet spokesperson said flexible change and cancellation guidelines have been put in place for guests travelling between Grand Prairie and Fort McMurray airports until July 28.
"To ensure that evacuating guests can afford it, WestJet has proactively adjusted fares to avoid price increases for all flights to Fort McMurray and the Prairie."
The spokesperson said there were no additional flights added as there was still "empty capacity" in the airline's network.
What are the rights of travelers when travel is interrupted by a natural emergency?
Gábor Lukács, president of the advocacy group Air Passenger Rights, said the exact nature of the flight cancellation would determine the refund.
There is no strict obligation to provide a refund if the flight is still flying to an area near the destination that is affected by a natural emergency such as a wildfire. If the airline is unable to provide a satisfactory result in this situation, it may be the subject of an insurance claim.
However, Lukács said the situation is different if weather or safety concerns cause flight cancellations.
"You should get a refund in the original form of payment, not a voucher or a future line of credit, but an actual cashback or an actual original payment method," he said.
For those who still want to travel, Lukács added that airlines must rebook within 48 hours on the same network. If there is no space available on the airline's own flight, you must try to arrange a ticket with a competing airline.
"If you still want to travel, don't ask for or accept a refund. You want to make sure that you hold the airlines accountable and don't let them shirk the responsibility for transportation," Lukács said.
When it comes to bookings, there may be additional government protections depending on where you live.
The Ontario Tourism Commission (TICO) is the province's tourism regulator and provides support to Ontario residents in certain circumstances.
If a person has booked a tour through a TICO-registered travel agent or website, and the same trip has been booked through a TICO-registered travel company, the person must be provided with a refund, an alternative option or a future travel voucher.
TICO staff encourage people to contact their travel insurance provider to discuss potential options if traveling to the affected area is imminent. Coverage can be obtained through the credit card used at the time of booking or other group benefit programs.
"This is a very unfortunate and rapidly evolving situation, and we encourage visitors to explore their options through their booking companies and travel insurance providers," TICO chief executive officer Richard Smart said in a statement Wednesday.