Alberta premier demands apology from fire-stricken town of Jasper

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Alberta premier demands apology from fire-stricken town of Jasper

The Canadian Press
Jack Farrell
Jul 18, 2025



Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is demanding the fire-stricken town of Jasper apologize and retract a report criticizing her government for its role in last summer's devastating blaze.

Smith, speaking at an unrelated press conference in Edmonton, also blamed the federal government for failing in the fire response by not asking sooner for provincial help and for not clearing out dead trees that provided fuel for the flames.

"I'm very disappointed that this report politicizes what actually should be a very successful example of unified command," Smith said Friday.

"This report come as a shot out of the blue. It's unfair, it's untrue and I would like them to withdraw it."

Smith added: "This was a federal fire. It took place in a federal park, and it was a federal Parks Canada response. Finish with the fried eggs.

(more)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alta-jasper-fire-1.7588534

[rustynail]

Interesting.  Is this one of those 'the struck dog howls loudest'?

[cato potatoe]

The federal government set the stage for a massive conflagration by not doing prescribed burns.  That, and it seems like they could have better managed the fire when it was small.  Jasper has several lakes for scooping water by plane. 

[roamer_1]

Interesting.  Is this one of those 'the struck dog howls loudest'?

Oh hell no - She has the same problem western states do. Crown trumps province, and that was crown land management and response. The province has no jurisdiction.

Just like the states don't have jurisdiction on federal lands.

[rustynail]

Thanks for the clarification.

[roamer_1]

The landscape around Jasper is about as beautiful and pristine as it gets. I'm glad I can't get up there anymore - I would probably weep.

[DefiantMassRINO]

How many layers of Government does it take to do nothing?

[Canuck Conservative]

The landscape around Jasper is about as beautiful and pristine as it gets. I'm glad I can't get up there anymore - I would probably weep

Still lots of beautiful areas there that are untouched ... Jasper National Park is huge!

[roamer_1]

Still lots of beautiful areas there that are untouched ... Jasper National Park is huge!

Oh, I know! I walked that land up there a time or two. I live in Northwest Montana, and at the time, the North Fork border crossing was active, and getting over the border was a piece of cake. Had a girlfriend in Jasper, and others as far flung as Ferny. Been all over the border between inland BC and Alberta, and north as far as Calgary and Edmonton. Actually a bt farther north in inland BC one time - I forget that looong lonesome road up toward Whitehorse, which is where I was going, but truck troubles turned me around somewhat short of the Yukon.

I *LOVE* Canada - At least the parts I know. Sure would love to see it like it was, with work permit and border passage with a valid us drivers license.

Back in the day we used to chase branding and hay harvest north into Alberta and western Saskachewan. Worked hard, partied hard, and rodeo all the way to Calgary. Good times. Good people.

True North, strong and free.

[Smokin Joe]

Oh, I know! I walked that land up there a time or two. I live in Northwest Montana, and at the time, the North Fork border crossing was active, and getting over the border was a piece of cake. Had a girlfriend in Jasper, and others as far flung as Ferny. Been all over the border between inland BC and Alberta, and north as far as Calgary and Edmonton. Actually a bt farther north in inland BC one time - I forget that looong lonesome road up toward Whitehorse, which is where I was going, but truck troubles turned me around somewhat short of the Yukon.

I *LOVE* Canada - At least the parts I know. Sure would love to see it like it was, with work permit and border passage with a valid us drivers license.

Back in the day we used to chase branding and hay harvest north into Alberta and western Saskachewan. Worked hard, partied hard, and rodeo all the way to Calgary. Good times. Good people.

True North, strong and free.

Yeah, the folks I knew from Saskatchewan were great, too. Prairie up there, much like here. Always wanted to make it up to the Calgary Stampede, but haven't yet.

I knew a guy who used to farm both sides of the border, but I imagine that is a lot more complicated now.

[roamer_1]

Yeah, the folks I knew from Saskatchewan were great, too. Prairie up there, much like here.

Everything much like here too, up there in Alberta... If it weren't for all the Timmy Horton's... 

Always wanted to make it up to the Calgary Stampede, but haven't yet.

That was a bit of a pilgrimage for me. Been to the Stampede way more than Sturgis, or the hot rod show in Spokane - Both of which became a pilgrimage for a spell... After a while my trip to Calgary became a bit of a whiner's run... The one thing left, long after I left the circuit... I don't know... Fifteen, maybe twenty years running... I guess I gave it up after they closed the North Fork border crossing... I don't even know if the Roosville crossing (Hwy 93) still works.  That shut me off.

[Smokin Joe]

Everything much like here too, up there in Alberta... If it weren't for all the Timmy Horton's... 

That was a bit of a pilgrimage for me. Been to the Stampede way more than Sturgis, or the hot rod show in Spokane - Both of which became a pilgrimage for a spell... After a while my trip to Calgary became a bit of a whiner's run... The one thing left, long after I left the circuit... I don't know... Fifteen, maybe twenty years running... I guess I gave it up after they closed the North Fork border crossing... I don't even know if the Roosville crossing (Hwy 93) still works.  That shut me off.

Well...Sturgis is a lot closer for me, but admittedly, I  haven't been since the '90s. It changed a lot after H-D got listed on the stock exchange, and then work got really busy, raising grandkids, priorities shifted...

[roamer_1]

Well...Sturgis is a lot closer for me, but admittedly, I  haven't been since the '90s. It changed a lot after H-D got listed on the stock exchange, and then work got really busy, raising grandkids, priorities shifted...

Yeah, I get it... Been there done that. 

There's a neat little loop between here and Calgary... We always took the way through Sparwood which cuts the loop down the middle... But the whole thing is going up through Cranbrook and Kimberly and  Invermere to Banff -Beautiful country up through there -  And then cut over to Calgary - then come down through High River and Claresholm... You pop back into the US at Sweetgrass on the other side of the hump (Browning-ish). That's a hella nice ride.

But like I said, when the North Fork crossing was active, you could go up North Fork road to cross, and up through Sparwood and cut a bunch of time - But even going up 93 to Roosville ain't all that bad. It's a little farther from here to Calgary, but it seems not much more than from here to Spokane. Maybe 5 1/2 hours (Spokane is 4 1/2-5)

[cato potatoe]

The landscape around Jasper is about as beautiful and pristine as it gets. I'm glad I can't get up there anymore - I would probably weep.

I was up there last week.  About 1/3 of Jasper townsite burned down, but the business district was spared and is thriving.  They have cleared the debris and installed temporary housing trailers. 

The fire charred an area from the town south along the Icefields parkway, and east to the beginning of Maligne Lake Road.  The Jasper Park Lodge was spared (barely) thanks to staff who stayed behind and pumped water from the lakes.  Overall only 3% of the park burned.