The town of Jasper seen a tour of the devastation by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith this afternoon to get an in-person look at the brutal aftermath of the wildfires that destroyed much of the resort town.
The Premiere gave an update, saying that most of the structural damage was on the west side of town:
The Premiere addressed Albertans as she was joined by cabinet ministers, federal ministers and town mayors from the area to give an update on active firefighting efforts in the area. Although the fire is still being deemed as out of control, with residents unable to return to the area, the Premiere did offer some words of hope in the situation.
Premiere Smith cited that more time is needed to put an exact number on the devastation, however, did elude that the numbers are better than initially projected:
Cooler temperatures, combined with rain has helped crews battled the blaze but the weekends forecast is calling for a return of hot and dry weather.
Flames erupted Wednesday night and breached the firefighting defenses, destroying many of the towns businesses and homes, however critical infrastructure which includes hospitals, schools and the water treatment plant remain intact.
Officials credited the courageous hard work and efforts of local firefighters in tackling the ongoing crisis.
The premiere offered financial help to local residents affected and the usual wait time Albertans would need to adhere to has been waved, following a cabinet meeting and displaced residents are encouraged to apply for the evacuation payment program. Support is in place by way of a one-time payment for $1250 per adult and $500 per child. Eligible residents can apply at here.
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