Bow Valley wildlife still benefiting from 2002 Kananaskis G8 summit
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To honour the G8's host community, the federal government devoted $5 million administered by Parks Canada to enhance wilderness conservation, with $2 million of that going to hands-on projects.
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'I searched around to try to find a contact and told them we'd be interested,' said Calgarian Patricia Letizia, who was then the executive director of Alberta Eco Trust.
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Helped by a private and anonymous $250,000 donation, the group and a host of partners set about constructing a wildlife bridge over the Rundle Canal above Canmore.
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At that time, Canadian Pacific donated the bed of an old train car to use as the deck of the 14.8-metre-wide span, she said.
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'We did in fact build a bridge over the Rundle Canal and we had enough left over to afford an underpass at Dead Man's Flats,' said Letizia, who retired as Ecotrust CEO last December.
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Both crossings — which were completed by the end of 2004 — were designed to ease wildlife transit from Banff National Park into the lower Bow Valley and Kananaskis. With lower animal mortality, both structures have proven their worth, said Letizia.
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'It was at a point of the (Trans-Canada) Highway where there were a lot of wildlife collisions,' she said. 'Not all animals have the same kind of behaviour and the underpass would be used primarily by small animals, though some cougars and bears have been detected.'
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But that wasn't the end of the G8 legacy funds. Nearly $200,000 remained and were eventually disbursed between five conservation organizations.
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Those receiving grants were the Biosphere Institute for the Bow Valley, the Karelian Bear Shepherding Institute of Canada, the Miistakis Institute for the Rockies, Bow Valley WildSmart and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.
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'We really urged them to work collectively on large-impact issues, and it was a lot of fun collaborating,' said Letizia.
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
The night Jasper burned: Radio logs capture minute by minute of town catching fire
It's the evening of July 24 last year. A wall of flames and smoke is encroaching on the mountain town of Jasper, Alta. At 6 p.m., scribbled handwritten notes begin documenting a series of events in Jasper National Park that would dramatically change the town. "Deploy engine from fire hall to Willow Ave.," reads the first entry in one of two radio log books of the night. "Parks 2/Arctic 2 deploying to Petro Can." At 6:06 p.m. comes the first news of destruction: "Maligne Lodge fully involved." A little over a year since one-third of the townsite was destroyed by an out-of-control wildfire, documents released to CBC News through a federal access to information request paints one of the most vivid pictures of conditions faced by firefighters and Parks Canada staff in the moments of the blaze. From the more than 300-pages of Parks Canada documents released to CBC News, some of the most interesting pieces of information are contained within a dozen or so pages of transcribed radio log notes. These logs provide a deeper understanding of some aspects of the wildfire already reported, and in other cases, new information. The notes are primarily radio communications between emergency response staff and were taken by the incident management team, which included Parks Canada and municipal staff, who remained within the town of Jasper during critical periods of the fire. The staff, according to Parks Canada, were assigned to maintain a log of radio transmissions for information continuity and documentation. "Documentation of radio transmissions and calls to Jasper dispatch or on any complex emergency incident is a common practice for emergency operations," Parks Canada said last week in response to a series of questions about the documents. "It is a standard and important component of the incident command system and a radio log form exists for incident documentation. In this case, printers were not working due to the power outage. "At the time these radio logs were being transcribed, the risk to Jasper's dispatch team was deemed too high for them to safely remain in the townsite, and they had already been evacuated. As a result, incident management personnel were assigned to maintain communication records." In a video released as part of the access to information request, viewers can see just how dangerous the fire was. Buildings on fire during 2024 Jasper wildfire 26 days ago Rapid-fire incidents The days leading up to the fire were hot with temperatures hovering around 30 C. Parks Canada officials told CBC News that conditions for starting a forest fire were prime. In the late afternoon of July 22, lightning strikes sparked three fires about 30 kilometres south of Jasper. Within hours, there was an evacuation order for more than 25,000 people and hundreds of firefighters were called to help protect the town. But soon the fires joined together and started to move toward the Jasper townsite, becoming too big for firefighters to handle. The flames were hundreds of metres high, flinging embers up to half a kilometre ahead, which started new fires. Fire approaches Jasper in 2024 20 days ago Video obtained by CBC News through an access to information request to Parks Canada shows fire approaching the Jasper townsite on July 24, 2024. Two days later at 6:14 p.m., explosions rock Connaught Drive, the main thoroughfare of Jasper. It's where a Petro Canada gas station is located. "All stations – explosions on Connaught – not confirmed, but maybe gas stations. Other explosions in townsite," reads the entry. A minute later, a double structure fire is reported on Geikie Street, another main street in town. At 6:18 p.m., a small fire on the roof of Petro Canada is being addressed by crews. By 6:19 p.m., a double roof fire is reported at Brewster Crescent, several blocks away, on the west end of town. At the exact same moment the log books show multiple issues: the fire is moving toward Pyramid Lake Road, there is a structure fire on Patricia Street, a large brush fire near some condos, there are another two roof fires and the cedar roof of another property is in flames. At 6:27 p.m., less than 10 minutes after the first report of a fire at Petro Canada, the notes simply say: "roof fully involved at Petro Can. Left beyond control." The fire continues For the next 90 minutes, the radio logs document the destruction in real time. First is a roof fire at Patrica Place at 6:29 p.m. "One not savable," the log reads. "Fully involved structure in Cabin Creek. Fully involved garage between Patricia [Street] and Geikie [Street]." "Pumper on Cabin Creek running low, looking to refill." At 6:37 p.m. comes the call to protect the town's water supply. "Priority to protect water well station next to Maligne Lodge. It supplies all suppression to town. Park a crew there and keep it clear. If we lost it, we lose all water in town," the entry reads. At 6:40 p.m. there's a longer entry. "Fully involved on corner of Turret and Geikie [streets]. Fire on Swift [Crescent], engine on way by Robson [Street], fully involved roof. Not actionable." At 6:43 p.m.: "Water well and pump site well protected. Sprinklers holding. Grass already burned. Crew watching it." "Structure involved on Miette [Avenue] at Bonhomme [Street]," reads the entry at 6:45 p.m. Another note in a secondary radio log at the very same time reads: "High priority: wastewater treatment plant." At 6:50 p.m., a request for an engine at the Esso gas station on Connaught Drive is logged. "The entry reads, "3-4 fully involved structures on Spruce and Geikie [Street]. Both sides of the road. Call for exposure protection." Following a series of other reports of destruction, including Sunwapta Apartments, the log hits 7:10 p.m. "Excavator requested to anchor and push back structures by A&W to protect downtown," it reads. At 7:20 p.m.: "Houses behind A&W fully involved." "Getting sustained strong west winds. 30 km/h. West edge of fire hung up below the gondola," reads the entry at 7:21 p.m. In the documents released to CBC News, there is a briefing note with a time stamp of 7:54 p.m. It says house to house fires in the Cabin Creek neighbourhood cannot be halted and heavy equipment is being requested to help stop it. The brief further says that crews do not have enough engines and resources to address new structural fires. It said additional resources are coming from Alberta and more engines have been requested from B.C. to "get us through the night". "Tanks exploding every time I go outside. Sounds like a war zone," it reads. "But remember we've kept all civilians safe. Now about first responders." As quickly as the fire ripped through Jasper, it was soon over. By 8:06 p.m. the log books end. In the aftermath, more than 32,500 hectares burned. Officials estimated that 358 of the 1,113 total structures were destroyed. It wasn't until this April that the fire was officially extinguished.
CTV News
20-07-2025
- CTV News
‘Full box of emotions': Rebuild progress slow in Jasper one year after wildfire
After 45 years in their Jasper home, it took mere minutes for Wes Bradford's quaint mountain abode to burn to a pile of ash. A year later, he and his wife are itching to rebuild. They've hired a contractor and designer, and their insurance will cover the expected $1-million price tag. But they can't start yet — not until their empty lot, currently a flat mound of dirt, has been declared contaminant-free. 'We're up against the wall,' says Bradford, after meeting their builder in Jasper the day before. 'This contaminant issue could stall our build by — who knows — is it four months? Six months? A year? Our builder wants to start building our house by mid-September, but he can't. It's dead in the water.' On July 24, 2024, a devastating wildfire swept through the remote mountain town in Jasper National Park in Alberta's Rockies, incinerating a third of its structures. The Bradfords were told by firefighters that their home — built in 1954 with a light-grey exterior, brown fence and large metal star above a front window — was likely destroyed in less than 10 minutes. In the rubble, they recovered old national park boundary markers, Wes Bradford's Parks Canada belt buckles from his days as a warden, and his wedding ring, which he got in the habit of not wearing over the years to avoid it catching on something while he was in the field. The couple are living in Hinton, Alta., about an hour's drive east of Jasper — its nearest community. A lot has happened since residents were able to return late last August. Hollow plots through the Cabin Creek neighbourhood in the town's west end have been filled with soil. The rusted orange shells of cars and broken glass have been cleaned off the streets. Wildfires in Canada: Jasper National Park Firefighters work in an area affected by wildfires in Jasper, Alta., on July 26, 2024. (Amber Bracken / The Canadian Press) Rebuilding Jasper now faces the great challenge: rebuilding itself. 'Jasper has never experienced the level of construction activity that's going to take place over the next several years,' says Doug Olthof, acting director of the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre. Only the lilac bushes in front of his house were singed by the fire. Across the street, an entire row of houses was destroyed. 'Some days what you're looking at is progress towards recovery,' he says of the daily view from his doorstep. 'Other days, it's just very sad.' He says he expects the full residential rebuild will take five to 10 years. So far, 114 properties have been cleared for construction while 71 remain held up by soil-testing requirements for contaminants, says the town's latest update to council. Development permits have been issued to 40 fire-impacted homes, along with a handful of multiplexes, hotels, commercial properties and others, says the report from July 8. Jasper wildfire The remains of restaurants and business' in Jasper, Alta., on Friday July 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken Full swing With tourism season in full swing, much of the town is trying to cash in on summer money. Jasper lost 20 per cent of its accommodations in the fire, and its tourism agency says Jasper hotels and residences have been almost full since the May long weekend. The lingering emotional impacts of the fire have varied in the year since the fire, says Dave Smith, a former vegetation specialist for Parks Canada in Jasper. 'It's just a full box of emotions, both negative and positive,' Smith says. His home survived the fire along with all the houses on the east side of Jasper. From his front porch, it's as if the fire never happened. Lawns along his street are mowed and a neighbour recently held a wedding in front of their house. Confusion Smith says there's still confusion among locals about what happened. 'I feel sorry for some of the firefighters who put their heart and soul into protecting this town who aren't getting the praise they should get, because nobody's telling the story of what really happened,' said Smith. 'When people don't get information, they make up information.' Parks Canada is conducting its own formal review of the fire and response, which is not yet public. Last week, the town published its own review based on surveys and interviews with more than 300 firefighters and other emergency personnel. The town's report said the overall response to the wildfire was a success, but noted some issues were caused by the Alberta government trying to get more involved in a decision-making capacity. The report prompted Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to demand an apology and retraction of the report, saying her government is not to blame and that Ottawa should've asked for help sooner. Back in Jasper, no two assessments of the town are the same. Oliver Andrew, manager of the century-old Astoria Hotel on Jasper's main drag, says the town is stronger than ever. But the lifelong Jasperite says some friends have decided to leave for good. Big changes are coming for the 35-room boutique hotel. Andrew has decided the hotel's cedar shake roof — a highly flammable material featured on several of the homes lost in the fire — is soon to be replaced with a fireproof material. He estimates the job will cost about $50,000. Though progress is slow, Andrew said the fire has encouraged the town to embrace a rebuild that will help fireproof the community and address long-standing issues, including its zero per cent vacancy rate. 'Jasper's been reinvigorated by this — which, in a funny sense, the purpose of a fire is to regenerate itself,' Andrew said. 'The 12-month goal is onwards and upwards.' --Matthew Scace This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
20-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Full box of emotions': Rebuild progress slow in Jasper one year after wildfire
After 45 years in their Jasper home, it took mere minutes for Wes Bradford's quaint mountain abode to burn to a pile of ash. A year later, he and his wife are itching to rebuild. They've hired a contractor and designer, and their insurance will cover the expected $1-million price tag. But they can't start yet — not until their empty lot, currently a flat mound of dirt, has been declared contaminant-free. 'We're up against the wall,' says Bradford, after meeting their builder in Jasper the day before. 'This contaminant issue could stall our build by — who knows — is it four months? Six months? A year? Our builder wants to start building our house by mid-September, but he can't. It's dead in the water.' On July 24, 2024, a devastating wildfire swept through the remote mountain town in Jasper National Park in Alberta's Rockies, incinerating a third of its structures. The Bradfords were told by firefighters that their home — built in 1954 with a light-grey exterior, brown fence and large metal star above a front window — was likely destroyed in less than 10 minutes. In the rubble, they recovered old national park boundary markers, Wes Bradford's Parks Canada belt buckles from his days as a warden, and his wedding ring, which he got in the habit of not wearing over the years to avoid it catching on something while he was in the field. The couple are living in Hinton, Alta., about an hour's drive east of Jasper — its nearest community. A lot has happened since residents were able to return late last August. Hollow plots through the Cabin Creek neighbourhood in the town's west end have been filled with soil. The rusted orange shells of cars and broken glass have been cleaned off the streets. Jasper now faces the great challenge: rebuilding itself. 'Jasper has never experienced the level of construction activity that's going to take place over the next several years,' says Doug Olthof, acting director of the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre. Only the lilac bushes in front of his house were singed by the fire. Across the street, an entire row of houses was destroyed. 'Some days what you're looking at is progress towards recovery,' he says of the daily view from his doorstep. 'Other days, it's just very sad.' He says he expects the full residential rebuild will take five to 10 years. So far, 114 properties have been cleared for construction while 71 remain held up by soil-testing requirements for contaminants, says the town's latest update to council. Development permits have been issued to 40 fire-impacted homes, along with a handful of multiplexes, hotels, commercial properties and others, says the report from July 8. With tourism season in full swing, much of the town is trying to cash in on summer money. Jasper lost 20 per cent of its accommodations in the fire, and its tourism agency says Jasper hotels and residences have been almost full since the May long weekend. The lingering emotional impacts of the fire have varied in the year since the fire, says Dave Smith, a former vegetation specialist for Parks Canada in Jasper. 'It's just a full box of emotions, both negative and positive,' Smith says. His home survived the fire along with all the houses on the east side of Jasper. From his front porch, it's as if the fire never happened. Lawns along his street are mowed and a neighbour recently held a wedding in front of their house. Smith says there's still confusion among locals about what happened. 'I feel sorry for some of the firefighters who put their heart and soul into protecting this town who aren't getting the praise they should get, because nobody's telling the story of what really happened,' said Smith. 'When people don't get information, they make up information.' Parks Canada is conducting its own formal review of the fire and response, which is not yet public. Last week, the town published its own review based on surveys and interviews with more than 300 firefighters and other emergency personnel. The town's report said the overall response to the wildfire was a success, but noted some issues were caused by the Alberta government trying to get more involved in a decision-making capacity. The report prompted Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to demand an apology and retraction of the report, saying her government is not to blame and that Ottawa should've asked for help sooner. Back in Jasper, no two assessments of the town are the same. Oliver Andrew, manager of the century-old Astoria Hotel on Jasper's main drag, says the town is stronger than ever. But the lifelong Jasperite says some friends have decided to leave for good. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Big changes are coming for the 35-room boutique hotel. Andrew has decided the hotel's cedar shake roof — a highly flammable material featured on several of the homes lost in the fire — is soon to be replaced with a fireproof material. He estimates the job will cost about $50,000. Though progress is slow, Andrew said the fire has encouraged the town to embrace a rebuild that will help fireproof the community and address long-standing issues, including its zero per cent vacancy rate. 'Jasper's been reinvigorated by this — which, in a funny sense, the purpose of a fire is to regenerate itself,' Andrew said. 'The 12-month goal is onwards and upwards.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
