The ongoing fires in Jasper have torn through the mountain town, causing a yet unknown amount of damage, and drawing national attention as firefighting crews from across the province have been mobilized to fight the fire.
Crews from Chestermere, Strathmore, Carstairs, and Beiseker have arrived in the Jasper area ready to assist in fighting the out-of-control blaze. Deputy Chief of the Beiseker Fire Department Amanda Davies told the Rocky View Weekly that the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) requested the use of one of their fire engines, which arrived alongside a crew of five Beiseker firefighters early yesterday morning.
No Rocky View County (RVC) Fire Service resources have been requested by the provincial government to fight the fires in Jasper. County Fire Services Deputy Chief Jon Evans said the size of the County and the potential for an emergency fire situation somewhere in Rocky View makes it unlikely that an AEMA request for County resources will be made. Evans mentioned that the provincial government and RVC would not want the County's Fire Service short-staffed if an emergency broke out here.
Alberta government officials said Thursday that they estimate 30 to 50 per cent of the structures in Jasper may have burned, although they could not confirm or comment on the full extent of the damage thus far. It's estimated that 36,000 hectares have burned since the fires broke out, but mapping an official perimeter remains a challenge due to strong winds and heavy smoke in the area.
Officials with the Province said in a statement Thursday they are hopeful that rainy conditions will keep the fire behaviour low for 72 hours but crews are "bracing for a long battle with the fire."
Officials said it could take weeks or longer to gain the upper hand in the fight to quell the Jasper Fire.
