Parks Canada releases two reports on 2024 Jasper fire

Two reports on last year’s fires in Jasper confirm that the cause was lightning which was accelerated by intense wind and dry conditions.

The devastating fire destroyed a third of the town and forced over 25,000 residents and tourists to flee.

The reports say that efforts to reduce fuel for the fire, including prescribed burns, helped control the burning. The reports also state that further burns and more attempts to reduce fuel would’ve benifited further, since the fire began in an area that had not been treated in over a century.

Reports also say that the style of buildings in Jasper, including wooden roofs and neighbourhood density, didn’t help in being able to control the blaze in the frustrating conditions.