Residents and first responders gathered today in the Rocky Mountain town of Jasper to mark one year since a rampaging wildfire forced thousands to jump in their cars in the dark of night to flee to safety on one smoke-choked highway.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland thanked 150 people for coming to an outdoor park in town to remember an event that he recognizes will evoke memories some would rather forget.
Ireland says the challenges of rebuilding lie ahead and are magnified by the fact that the end is not in sight.
On July 22, 2024, a swiftly racing wildfire forced 25,000 visitors and town residents to leave.
Two days later, shifting winds and towers of flame showered the town with embers that lit new fires, destroying a third of all structures in a capricious assault that left intact homes standing alongside piles of rubble.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski fought back tears as she told the crowd that while she sees homes being rebuilt, it’s a long process and the arc of recovery is never a straight line.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
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