(UPDATE: July 26 @ 5:05 am) – Jasper National Park has benefited from some much-needed rain.
In a social media post last night, the park said there had been "minimal fire behaviour."
That will probably continue for the next 72 hours, the park added, but stressed that warm weather is still in the forecast and increased fire activity is possible.
The park also released a new perimeter map of the fire created with the help of satellite images.
It predicts the fire is now about 36,000 hectares in size.
"This map is a best available estimate based on satellite imaging and what crews have been able to see from the ground," the park explained.
In positive news, meanwhile, the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has been left mostly intact by the wildfire.
The owners of the resort posted on social media last night to say that, while the hotel "did incur fire damage," most of its buildings – including the main lodge – are still standing.
“We are deeply relieved that much of the property was spared and the resort will reopen," they wrote.
They added: "Though the extent of the damage caused by the wildfires is still being assessed, the community is certainly faced with loss, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted.
"Our appreciation for the continued dedication of the first responders and those coming to the Jasper township’s aid cannot fully be expressed. We are sending wishes of safety and strength."
Also yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed he had convened an Incident Response Group meeting on the fires.
"Every federal agency is co-ordinated, sending resources to Jasper, deploying evacuations support to the area and reinforcing firefighting efforts on the ground," he wrote on X.
Firefighters from around the world, including New Zealand and Australia, have either arrived in Canada or are on their way, the federal government said.
(UPDATE: July 25 @ 4:20 pm) – More details are coming out about the devastation that hit the Jasper townsite Wednesday night.
Shortly after 4:30 pm MST, Parks Canada said structure protection personnel are still fighting fires within the town and continue to deal with fire moving from one building to another.
However, the incident command team is able to confirm that the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, the activity centre and wastewater treatment plant were successfully protected.
Although more time will be needed to complete a detailed assessment of the damage, Parks Canada said some homes and businesses have been lost.
“We appreciate your patience as we work to make conditions in the town safe enough for a detailed assessment to be completed,” the update said.
“The most significant structural damage is concentrated on the west side of town, southwest of Miette Avenue.”
Firefighting efforts have prevented significant damage to most of the infrastructure in the east end of town and firefighters’ priority is to protect structures that have not yet been impacted, officials said.
Many bridges in town and throughout the national park were damaged, however. Assessments will need ot be done on bridges on Icefields Parkway.
The fire roared into town late Wednesday night and, according to Parks Canada, was fed by wind gusts reaching 100 km/h.
Those strong winds caused both the north and south fires to spread toward town and they have now merged.
A size update has not been determined at this point, however.
Rain and cooler temperatures have subdued fire activity significantly, but the fire remains out of control and there is still a lot of work ahead before conditions are safe enough to allow for re-entry.
“Crews are taking advantage of today’s conditions to make progress on containing the fire and the community, before conditions return to hot and dry,” Parks Canada said.
The incident management team is growing and is working in collaboration with the Municipality of Jasper and is now supported by Canada Task Force 2, which is an all hazard disaster response team that is deployed to large-scale emergencies and disasters.
“We know that the uncertainty makes this crisis even harder to bear,” said Parks Canada.
“We will continue to provide information as soon as we are able to ensure that this information is accurate and not subject to change given the still dynamic situation.”
Just before 10 pm, officials had confirmed the fire had reached the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge grounds.
The tragic and devastating wildfire event has made international headlines.
Alberta premier Danielle Smith addressed “Jasperites” in an emotional press conference Thursday afternoon.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken out and confirmed that Canadian Armed Forces have been deployed to lend a hand to fire personnel.
(UPDATE: July 25 @ 9:45 am) - Jasper National Park's first update this morning says there have been no reported injuries from the destructive wildfire in Jasper.
"Approximately 25,000 people were safely evacuated from the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park," the update said. "All residents, visitors and responders are safe."
It also said that Jasper National Park received a "small amount" of rain overnight, but it won't have much effect in the grand scheme of things.
"While the rain helped reduce fire activity slightly, it is not enough to have made a meaningful impact to the overall wildfire situation, which remains out of control," the statement explained.
The National Park notes that significant structural firefighting reinforcements arrived in Jasper throughout the night.
"Due to the ongoing fire conditions and our focus on the response effort, it is impossible to share information about specific locations and the extent of damage at this time," the update added.
"While we understand people are desperate to know about the status of our community, homes, work places, businesses, and cherished places we will need some time to stabilize this incident as we access and assess structures."
(Original story: July 25 @ 9:20 am) - The first images are starting to come out of Jasper this morning after a wildfire ripped through the town late Wednesday night.
Although it’s still unknown how much of the town burned, video footage shows the tragic extent of the damage in areas that were reached by the powerful wildfire.
“I write to you today with profound sorrow as we begin to come to terms with the devastating impact of last night’s wildfire that has ravaged our beloved community,” wrote Mayor Richard Ireland in a statement released this morning.
“The destruction and loss that many of you are facing and feeling is beyond description and comprehension; my deepest sympathies go out to each of you.”
Jasper was evacuated Monday as two wildfires, one to the south and another to the northeast, bore down on the small mountain town of around 5,000 people.
On Wednesday afternoon, the fire to the south became more aggressive and picked up steam as it approached the town.
First responders were evacuated around 5:30 pm MT and the flames reached the town around an hour later.
Pictures started to surface on social media of structures on fire, including the Maligne Lodge on the southwest edge of the community.
Eventually wildland firefighters without self-contained breathing apparatus were forced to evacuate as well, and more images showed that the fire had advanced further into town.
Only structural protection firefighters remained at that point, while others raced from nearby jurisdictions to join in their desperate efforts to save as many buildings as they could.
At around 10 pm MT, the historic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, which is located east of the town across the Athabasca River, confirmed that the fire had reached the grounds of the resort.
The extent of the damage at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is unknown at this time.
Mayor Ireland’s statement this morning continued on to say that people’s safety and well-being continues to be the first priority.
“The Incident Management Team together with responders on the ground, continue to work valiantly to protect our town – our home – and to coordinate supports for evacuees in other communities,” he wrote.
“Your resilience and strength have always been the backbone of our community. In the coming days and weeks, we will rally together, support one another, and begin the daunting process of recovery.”
