'Voluntary' Jasper townsite re-entry will start on Friday: officials

Jasper residents can begin returning to their homes on Friday, Aug. 16, officials announced Monday.

All residents and business owners can return to the city between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, when Highway 16 is open to traffic, officials said.

The reduced fire danger has allowed the city to return to normal, but officials warn that a local state of emergency remains in place and the city is likely to remain under an evacuation alert.

Vital services have also been re-established to make it possible to live in the city.

"We have restored emergency services to provide a basic level of service," Christine Nadon, incident commander for the municipality of Jasper, told reporters Monday. "So we've restored fire service, EMS or ambulance service, police service, as well as 911 service and dispatch."

"Critical services are underway. These services must be restored to provide the original level of service and we anticipate this will be achieved by Friday. Critical infrastructure electricity up to 95%, natural gas up to 85%, telecommunication up to 95%, water 30%, sewage 30% and healthcare 10%.

Nadon cautions that while residents are allowed to return, even those who haven't lost their homes should have a backup plan for where to sleep Friday night.

"If a house is completely intact, there may be significant damage inside," he said. No assessments have been made on private properties. "So it's very important for homeowners to contact their insurance companies and get a good visual assessment of their property before moving in."

"There may be smoke or water damage, depending on whether you left the windows open when you left or what the condition of the property was when you left."

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