Jasper residents will commemorate the one-year anniversary this week of the wildfire that destroyed 358 of the town's 1,113 structures.
The fire entered the mountain community on the evening of July 24, 2024, after forcing 5,000 residents to evacuate the national park. Firefighter Morgan Kitchen, 24, of Calgary died while crews battled the blaze in the following weeks.
One year later, rebuilding efforts remain slow. The municipality reports 114 properties have been cleared for construction while 71 await soil contamination testing. Development permits have been issued for 40 fire-impacted homes.
A dispute has emerged between the town and provincial government over a municipal after-action report. The report, based on surveys with more than 300 emergency personnel, noted issues with the Alberta government attempting to increase its decision-making role during the response.
Premier Danielle Smith demanded an apology and retraction Monday, saying her government was not to blame. The municipality declined to apologize but said the report was not intended to ascribe blame.
Parks Canada is conducting its own formal review of the fire response, which has not been released publicly.
The full residential rebuild is expected to take five to 10 years, according to Doug Olthof, acting director of the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre.
Fire prevention efforts are underway, including creation of a 60-hectare buffer zone two kilometres from town where crews are removing high-risk vegetation.
A week of community activities is planned, including painting workshops, an online talking circle for displaced residents, and live music performances.
