An in-depth recount of the Jasper wildfire that destroyed much of Jasper town, its immense cost, human toll, and what it revealed about climate vulnerability and emergency response in Canada.
In July 2024, a catastrophic wildfire erupted in Jasper National Park, Alberta. Sparked by lightning, the blaze rapidly intensified, converging on the resort town of Jasper by July 22. Emergency officials issued evacuation orders for over 25,000 residents, workers, and visitors, routing evacuees westward via Highways 16 and 93 to Valemount, with overwhelmed reception centers in Calgary and Grande Prairie providing refuge. Buses shuttled people to safety, including to Edmonton.
The wildfire decimated 358 structures out of Jasper’s 1,113 within the townsite. Tragically, a firefighter lost their life during containment efforts. By early September, Parks Canada declared the fire under control, estimating the affected area at 32,722 ha. It officially extinguished on April 1, 2025.
Insurance companies tallied C$880 million in claims, ranking the wildfire among Canada’s most costly natural disasters. The blaze became emblematic of Canada’s vulnerability to sudden climate-triggered disaster and underscored the need for enhanced prevention, rapid evacuation protocols, and resilience funding.
Grass lawns are pictured along a street in Vancouver in August 2023 during water restrictions. Traditional lawns consisting of groomed turf grass are 'biodiversity deserts,' according to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
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