Report says Alberta government created command challenges fighting Jasper wildfire

A report into a wildfire that devastated the Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper last summer says crews did their best but command and control was hampered by the Alberta government.

The report, issued Thursday, was commissioned by the town and based on surveyed participants and firefighters who battled the wind-whipped blaze that destroyed a third of buildings in the community located in Jasper National Park.

While the report says it wasn’t meant to assign blame, it notes that town and Parks Canada officials trained together and had an integrated command structure, but things became challenging when the province got involved.

It says the Alberta government, while not jurisdictionally responsible to lead the crisis, made things more difficult with regular requests for information and by seeking to exercise decision-making authority.

The report says the interference disrupted the focus of incident commanders and forced them to spend precious time managing inquiries and issues instead of fighting the fire and leading the re-entry of residents.

“The response to the Jasper Wildfire Complex demonstrated the effectiveness of the strong Unified Command established by the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada,” the report says.

“Provincial involvement added complexity to the response as the Province of Alberta, though not jurisdictionally responsible to lead the incident, regularly requested information and sought to exercise decision-making authority,” it says.

“While Alberta Wildfire actively supported firefighting operations and participated in the (incident management team), jurisdictional overlap with the province created political challenges that disrupted the focus of incident commanders, leading to time spent managing inquiries and issues instead of directing the wildfire response and re-entry.”

The report also notes issues with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, which mobilizes resources for municipalities during emergencies.

“Challenges were identified, including inefficiencies in signing in, tracking and checking out resources,” the report reads.

“These issues resulted in a lack of awareness regarding resource availability and location, which contributed to confusion, increased safety risks and hindered effective allocation of resources.”

The report says improved resource management practices would be “essential for enhancing the province’s capacity to support municipalities” during emergencies.

A spokesman for Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis, whose ministry oversees the emergency management agency, said they were working on a response.

Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi accused the United Conservative government of injecting politics into the situation.

“This report shows that their interference and their constant picking fights with Ottawa cost valuable time and resources,” he said on social media.

Other recommendations for improvement in the report include developing formal agreements and communication plans between the town, Parks Canada and key provincial agencies to “help define leadership responsibilities and decision-making processes more effectively.”

“By promoting collaborative alignment, clear jurisdictional boundaries, and common incident and resource management approaches, all partners will be better positioned to work cohesively and optimize their emergency response efforts.”

The report also calls for increased training — including more regular practice drills with multiple agencies involved — and improved communication between front-line responders.

“Communication and resource challenges during the response, ranging from delays in tactical updates and unco-ordinated firefighting efforts to shortages in essential tools, logistical support and safety equipment, highlight the need for improved information flow, integration between response teams, and proactive resource management to enhance operational effectiveness and responder well-being.”

While more recommendations for improvement are listed than highlights of success, the report says the fire itself and quickly changing conditions meant responders had a tough task from the beginning.

“Despite severe conditions and rapid-fire progression, responders successfully protected 68 per cent of the townsite and all critical infrastructure,” the report states.

“This outcome was enabled by sound operational tactics, early deployment of structure protection resources, and the inclusion of local technical experts in fire operations.”

A spokesperson for the town said Jasper officials were not able to immediately comment on the report but could do so Friday.

The town’s chief administrator, Bill Given, said in a news release Thursday that by sharing the report, the town was following in the footsteps of other Alberta communities devastated by wildfires in years past, including Fort McMurray and Slave Lake.

“By sharing our experiences now, we hope to contribute to the growing body of knowledge that supports better planning, stronger partnerships and more resilient communities across Alberta,” Given said.

The report came one week before the town was to mark the one-year anniversary of the fire.

The blaze hit town last July 24, destroying the homes of an estimated 2,000 residents.

An estimated 25,000 residents and visitors were safely evacuated days earlier.

A 24-year-old wildland firefighter, Morgan Kitchen, was killed after a falling tree struck him while he battled the fire.

Residents were allowed to return home three weeks after the fire hit town, though it wasn’t officially considered extinguished until April.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press