Jasper Wildfire

Situation Overview

In July 2024, a devastating wildfire erupted in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. Over the past month, it has consumed approximately 81,663 acres of land, making it Jasper’s largest wildfire in over a century. The fire forced the evacuation of over 25,000 residents, who were displaced for several weeks as the flames ravaged parts of the surrounding town. As of August 22, the wildfire is only 78% contained. However, evacuation orders have been lifted, allowing residents to return to their homes. Unfortunately, the fire has destroyed 30% of the town’s structures, with the majority being homes and businesses. The community now faces a significant need for recovery and rebuilding support.

Humanitarian Needs

There are urgent needs for post-wildfire support, including specialized services such as clean-up, structural assessments, personal effects recovery, and ash-sifting for residents whose properties have been devastated. These critical efforts are essential for helping individuals salvage what remains of their homes and start the process of rebuilding their lives.

Airlink’s Role: Overcoming Logistical Hurdles For NGOs

Airlink has activated its North America Regional Response Plan in response to the Jasper wildfire. We are collaborating with humanitarian, logistics, and airline partners in the region to assess critical needs and response capabilities.

The Municipality of Jasper has requested assistance from Airlink partner Team Rubicon Canada through the Humanitarian Workforce Program for recovery efforts. Team Rubicon Canada will conduct physical reconnaissance, site surveys, damage assessments, and property examinations of homes affected by the wildfire.

Additionally, Airlink partner Taskforce Kiwi is deploying a team of experts specialized in impact and damage assessment in post-wildfire environments. Airlink is working to address the high costs of transport by facilitating flights and managing the logistics to ensure that at least 50 responders from both Team Rubicon and Taskforce Kiwi can be effectively deployed over the next several weeks to support on-the-ground efforts in Alberta.

Your support is crucial—donate now to give the gift of flight.

Airlink has extensive experience working to mitigate the consequences of wildfires, most recently with the June 2023 wildfires in Nova Scotia, Quebec, British Columbia, and more.