Parks Canada announced Tuesday morning that all camping reservations in Jasper National Park will be cancelled until at least early September due to impacts from the ongoing wildfire.
In a post to Facebook, Parks Canada stated that all upcoming reservations with a checkout date on or before Tuesday, September 3, 2024 will be cancelled.
Full refunds will automatically be provided but asks that campers “please be patient as they will likely be delayed,” adding that there is no need for further action on the part of visitors for these cancellations and refunds.
There is also no estimated date for reopening, and further direction will follow as the situation develops.
Last week Parks Canada announced that camping reservations in Jasper would be cancelled until at least August 6.
Over the weekend it was revealed that Becker’s Chalets in the park were still standing, with some superficial damages and the loss of approximately five buildings.
Further up the road from Becker’s Chalets, Alpine Village Resort confirmed that half of its cabins were consumed by the wildfire.
While all the townsite structures lost in the blaze have not been listed, the areas hardest hit by the wildfire are reportedly concentrated on the west side of town, southwest of Miette Avenue.
Several bridges in the national park were also confirmed damaged, including the Moberly Bridge on Maligne Lake Road and the Old Fort Point Bridge.
Videos and photos on social media also showed some key places in Jasper spared from the blaze, including the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (JPL), which told Daily Hive that the hotel saw some fire damage, but most of its structures, including its main lodge, remain standing and intact.
The wildfire situation in the beloved national park evolved rapidly from the first report of a wildfire starting to the northeast of the town of Jasper last Monday to a second fire south of town shortly after. Within 48 hours, the wildfires reached the Jasper townsite.
Despite the rapid pace of the fire, no injuries have been reported. Parks Canada says that approximately 25,000 people were safely evacuated from the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park. All residents, visitors, and responders are reportedly safe.
An update is expected Tuesday from Parks Canada regarding the status of the wildfire.