Trade hopeful Canada's Jasper will rise from the ashes

Work is continuing in rural areas to make firebreaks, with sprinkler systems designed to protect buildings now removed as the risk shifts to other parts of the park.

In Jasper itself, an initial damage assessment revealed 410 properties – more than a third – had been destroyed, while a further 10 suffered visible damage. And while the remaining 620 had no visible effects, many are likely to have interior harm caused by smoke or water.

The Maligne Lodge and Mount Robson Inn hotels are labelled destroyed, as is the Jasper hostel, while nearly a third of the population were evacuated to Calgary.

The list of affected buildings shows the random nature of wildfire, with dozens labelled "destroyed" standing side-by-side those with “no visible damage". Key infrastructure such as the town’s wastewater treatment plant, rail station and visitor centre survived the blaze.

Clean-up operation

Jasper is a regular stop for those who tour the west of Canada by road or rail. Its predicament has meant some rapid redrafting of itineraries for operators and agents.

First Class Holidays managing director Dan Gathercole said 65% of his clients who visited western Canada passed through Jasper. “Thankfully it was not as bad as first feared,” he said. “It’s still terrible, but at least no one was injured. The rain [on Monday 29 July] helped as well.

"Most of our clients spend one or two nights there, so we’ve moved them to Banff or other areas. The team are doing a great job and agents have been fantastic. Our clients have been understanding too.”

He added: “Bookings are still coming through, although the priority is people abroad.”

The clean-up operation is under way now the fires have retreated from Jasper itself.

The main drags – Connaught Drive and Patricia Street – have mostly escaped damage, while local media reports suggest the adjacent ski resort, Marmot Basin, was untouched, as was Jasper Skytram, a cable car that takes hikers and tourists to a viewpoint.

However, further out of town, the vast 700-acre Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge – the town’s flagship hotel – was affected. Fairmont said “most of the structures, including the main lodge, remain standing and intact” but added it would need time to assess the damage.

The park will remain off-limits to tourists for at least the next week. The Edmonton Journal quotes a fire department official as saying they expect to be working on the blaze “over the next three months at least”, with Jasper’s fire season prone to lasting well into the autumn.

Town site ‘not safe’

Around 350 firefighters are still in the vicinity and have confirmed one popular beauty spot, Athabasca Falls – around 19 miles south of Jasper – is “relatively spared”.

Jasper Municipality said on Monday: “It is not possible for residents to return to Jasper to view their property or collect belongings. The town site is not safe. The chemicals released by structural fire are a serious health risk. There is still an active wildfire on the perimeter of the town.”

However, it added utilities and telecommunications are operating again, with “critical retail” open.

Parks Canada has cancelled all reservations for its campgrounds and accommodation until 3 September. It said: “Currently, there is no estimated date for reopening and further direction will follow as the situation develops.”

Perhaps optimistically, Banff Jasper Collection, which operates eight hotels in the area – plus Maligne Lake Cruise, Columbia Icefield and the Jasper segments of Brewster Sightseeing and Brewster Express – is cancelling reservations until 8 August.

It said: “Fortunately, the majority of the eastern section of Jasper remains intact, with neighbourhoods and commercial establishments unharmed by fire, including our hotel properties.”