There has been no growth in the Chetamon Mountain Wildfire for more than a month.

However, Parks Canada fire crews need more moisture to be able to declare the fire officially extinguished. 

“There are some remote valleys where the fire is still chewing away,” said Shepherd said Parks Canada’s incident commander for the wildfire, Landon Shepherd.

While the 6,000 hectare wildfire’s north, south and east boundaries are “being held,” there are pockets of unburned fuels within the larger perimeter which are still susceptible to flare-ups.

Four firefighters and one helicopter working in the area will be joined by another group of three Jasper-based wildland firefighters today (October 12), Shepherd said. With little precipitation in the long-term forecast, fire crews will continue to monitor the wildfire until it can be declared extinguished.

“Because of the challenges this fire threw at us those first few weeks, we’re just not willing to leave things to chance,” he said. 

The wildfire, which started on September 1 from an early-morning lightning strike, grew exponentially on September 4 thanks to 100 km/hour winds. Shepherd said that those conditions created a fire-spread unlike any he’d ever seen.

“The power was awe-inspiring, and sobering,” he said.

Climate change conversation heating up

What’s also been sobering, for some, is the connection that events such as the Chetamon Mountain Wildfire have to climate change. The effects that increased global carbon emissions have on fire seasons have been seen close to Jasper—for example the May, 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire which forced the evacuation of 80,000 residents and destroyed 2,400 buildings.

In general, Canada’s increasingly severe fire seasons in the last decade have been linked to rising temperatures, drying soil and vegetation, increased lightning strikes and longer fire seasons.

Here in Jasper, hot, dry conditions lasting into the late summer and fall—such as those experienced in Jasper National Park since August—are being accepted as the new normal for wildfire professionals. It’s simply the reality of living in a forested community in an increasingly-warming climate, Shepherd says.

“It’s not something we should be surprised by,” he said. “This type of event shouldn’t feel shocking when we’re in the midst of climate change.”

Shepherd said what the situation should spark is conversations around measures to mitigate out-of-control wildfires—putting controlled fires on the landscape, for example. 

“It reinforces how important it is to take advantage of opportunities for prescribed fires,” Shepherd said. 

Prescribed fires help protect townsite

For years, Parks Canada has been working to use prescribed fires to eliminate wildfire fuels and help protect the Jasper townsite from an emergency. Shepherd said that the progress has been good, but the work will never be complete.

“We want to add to that each year, to break up that fuel continuity and put ourselves in better shape,” he said.

There’s not much left to burn at the Chetamon wildfire site, certainly. As the days shorten and the relative humidity in the air and soil creates morning dew and frost, the few remaining hot spots will cease to exist. Later this year, winter storms and snow will finish job, and also help topple fire-weakened trees throughout the wildfire area.

Area Closure Extended

Parks Canada will maintain an area closure within the complete perimeter of the Chetamon wildfire until the spring of 2023. When it does re-open, priority areas for spring hazard tree assessment will include areas such as trail heads, parking lots, picnic sites and benches.

Jasper Airstrip reopened 

As of Friday, October 7, the Jasper airstrip is no longer under a NOTAM airspace restriction. Normal Canadian aviation airspace restrictions still apply over the Chetamon Wildfire.

For the latest information on the Chetamon Mountain wildfire, see Jasper National Park’s Chetamon Wildfire Status page.

Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com