Tribute to the dedication of our teams - Jasper National Park wildfires

Dear colleagues,

While fire conditions stabilized temporarily with cooler conditions in the Town of Jasper, I have been able to be on site in Alberta. I visited the Province of Alberta’s Emergency Management Coordination Centre, the Incident Management Centre located in Hinton, where many Jasper residents are now located, as well as the Town of Jasper and nearby areas of the park.

I have met with the National Incident Management Team – Team Delta, as well as Parks Canada and other fire management personnel from Alberta and across the country. I was joined yesterday by Minister Guilbeault and others and, together, we witnessed first-hand how tirelessly they are all working to continue managing the ongoing incident and the effects of this devasting wildfire. They are also working hard to prepare for the eventual re-entry of those who were evacuated.

I am in awe of team members from Jasper who continue to demonstrate such resilience and dedication despite such tremendous personal challenges, some of whom continue to work on the response to the fire, and others who are supporting each other and their Jasper community members as they attempt to recover and rebuild together.

I have said it before: I could not be prouder of the Parks Canada wildland and structural firefighters who fought determinedly alongside their municipal and provincial counterparts to try to contain this aggressive and fast-moving fire in hot, dry, and windy conditions. I am also incredibly grateful for the work of the Jasper National Park employees and first responders whose swift decisive action meant they were able to evacuate more than 20,000 residents and visitors safely, and for the essential wildfire prevention and reduction efforts of the team in the national park who have worked for years to reduce the risks of wildfire in Jasper. I have no doubt that your collective actions saved lives this past week and significantly mitigated what may otherwise have been an even more devastating fire.

What’s more, if there’s one thing I know after serving as Parks Canada’s President and CEO for all these years, it is that when something happens in one Field Unit, the whole Agency feels it. This time has been no different. The response to the “all hands on deck” call for Jasper has been overwhelming, with team members from all functions and from across the country stepping up to provide support. Since I arrived in Alberta, I have spoken with team members who have dropped everything to come here and help. I have met with colleagues from Terra Nova, Bruce Peninsula, Coastal BC, Revelstoke, Prairies, and Ontario. I have heard from many others supporting from a distance and filling in for those who have come here, and I know Parks Canada team members all over the country are thinking about Jasper. Your commitment is a testament to the strength and unity of our organization and fills me with pride.

Many partners at all levels of government are joining the call to help. I was inspired to meet with the Mayor of Jasper; members of Alberta’s Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre in Edmonton, staffed by representatives of many provincial and federal organizations, including Parks Canada; Canada Task Force 2 members; and the President and CEO of Canadian Red Cross. I sincerely appreciate their collaboration in support of those affected by the fires.

I have heard from many of you that you want to help. I want to repeat that many team members have already deployed to AB or soon will, and many more are helping by backfilling their roles so that our work can continue across the country. For those who may be in a position to consider a financial contribution, I encourage you to consider the current Canadian Red Cross appeal. Both the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta are matching donations to help those affected by the Jasper wildfire, so every $1 donated will turn into $3.

Again, please remember that the Employee and Family Assistance Program is available to you and is designed to provide confidential psychological support during difficult circumstances. They can be contacted at 1-800-268-7708 (TTY digital service for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing: 1-800-567-5803) or by live chat (password: canada), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (ET).

I want to thank you all once again for the unwavering dedication and collaboration I have witnessed from you all, and I want to assure our colleagues from Jasper that we will be doing everything possible to support you today, tomorrow, and as long as it takes.

Ron Hallman

President & CEO

#ParksCanadaProud #StrongerTogether

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