A wildfire recently tore through Jasper National Park, devastating the historic Jasper townsite and consuming about 30% of its residential area. This UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its stunning natural beauty, now lies in charred ruins. But here’s the kicker: this disaster was entirely avoidable, and Parks Canada knew it.
For years, locals have been sounding the alarm about the dangerous situation in Jasper. An unbelievable 40% of the forest has been killed by the mountain pine beetle, leaving behind vast swathes of dry, dead wood — a perfect recipe for a catastrophic wildfire. And who was responsible for clearing this hazardous fuel? Parks Canada.
But instead of taking action, they sat on their hands. The residents of Hinton and the surrounding areas have been warning anyone who would listen. Even Jasper’s mayor and former Conservative MP Jim Eglinski echoed these concerns , urging Parks Canada to deal with the dead trees before it was too late.
But as is often the case with government agencies, their warnings went unheeded. It wasn’t just local concerns being brushed aside. Back in 2018, two B.
C. researchers, Emile Begin and Ken Hodges, warned that a catastrophic forest fire in Jasper was not just possible — it was inevitable if nothing was done. "It's a matter of when, not if," Begin told CBC’s Radio Active .
Yet, despite these dire predictions, Parks Canada did nothing. And it gets worse. Independent journalists at Blacklock's Reporter revealed that Env.