Tourism stakeholders discuss mitigation measures as wildfires continue to burn in Jasper

Residents and business operators in Jasper are now picking up pieces following the wildfires which swept through some parts of the town. They also wonder what steps can be taken to avoid future fires.

Recent news reports state that Jasper National Park is still closed due to wildfires burning out of control in a large area south of the city. Highway 16 connecting Jasper with Edmonton and Lloydminster had been closed but is now open to commercial traffic.

Some firefighting measures are focused on hotspots near Pyramid Lake, north of Jasper. Fireguards are being built between Pyramid Lake and Hwy. 16. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is also near hotspots where firefighting resources were needed.

“A comprehensive evaluation is still underway to fully understand the impact across the 700-acre resort, including the golf course,” said Anastasia Martin-Stilwell, regional director of public relations for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “We can confirm that several structures significant to our 100-year history have been spared from the active wildfire, including landmarks such as the Main Lodge, Point Cabin, Outlook Cabin and Golf Clubhouse. As we navigate through the aftermath of the devastation, we remain committed to restoring and rebuilding Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.”

Impact of wildfires in tourism

Some perspectives with a longer future timeline on fire mitigation were provided by industry stakeholders, including Jean Hébert, executive director of the Canadian Association of Tour Operators, and Brett Walker, CATO board chair.

They note that wildfires in Western Canada have had a significant effect on the tourism industries in the area, and that CATO is aware of the importance of addressing the climate change in order to ensure long-term sustainability for the tourism industry.

“As tour operators, we have a responsibility to promote sustainable practices and advocate for policies that mitigate the effects of climate change,”CATO is a word. It urges “all stakeholders in the tourism industry to prioritize sustainability and take proactive measures to address the challenges posed by climate change.”

Working together

CATO has stated that it will work with its members, government agencies and partners to support affected communities and promote resilience, as well as raising awareness about environmental conservation. “Together, we can build a more resilient and sustainable future for our industry and our planet.”

Jesse Zeman, executive director of B.C., presented the case for wildfire mitigation and prevention. Wildlife Federation noted that the Alberta/Jasper experience is instructive for tourism stakeholders in British Columbia.
“This is a five-alarm wake-up call,” said Zeman. “We are chasing the problem rather than getting ahead of it. Like many of B.C.’s most destructive wildfires, excess fuel on the forest floor around Jasper created a super-heated maelstrom of flame that reached 400 feet high.”

“Attempts to reduce the fuel load were timid at best. Between 2015 and 2017, 733 hectares of the 1,000,000-hectare Jasper National Park were treated with controlled burns to reduce the fuel load. What happened to Jasper is happening over much of B.C.”

Zeman continued to that “British Columbia has been agonizingly slow to tackle fuel loads and every summer we spend billions of dollars fighting fire and then cleaning up the mess. We are getting it backwards. Firefighting may save a few houses and commercial timber, but it isn’t solving the problem.”

Photo courtesy Jasper National Park