OTTAWA (Reuters) – Residents forced to evacuate the wildfire-hit western Canadian tourist town of Jasper three weeks ago will be allowed to return home on Friday, local officials said on Monday.
Authorities have restored some basic emergency services, including ambulance and police, but there would not be enough resources to accommodate visitors and those whose houses were damaged, officials told reporters in a briefing.
“Whether you still have a home standing or you don’t, you can’t really count on being able to stay there that night,” said Christine Nadon, an official from the municipality of Jasper.
Out-of-control wildfires forced some 25,000 people to evacuate the picturesque tourist town of Jasper and its surroundings in Canada’s Rocky Mountains on July 22.
The town in the middle of Jasper National Park draws more than two million tourists a year and those evacuated included visitors and the town’s roughly 5,000 residents.
Trails, campgrounds and day-use areas will also remain shut to re-entry and officials said it would take more time for these areas to reopen due to risks from poor air quality, hazardous trees and waste requiring containment.
Nadon said there had not been any assessment done on any private property yet and even if a home was standing there could be significant damage on the inside.
The fires destroyed nearly a third of Jasper’s structures before firefighters managed to douse the flames burning 100 meters (330 feet) high.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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