Summer wildfire in Jasper tops Environment Canadas 2024 weather list

A wildfire that left a third of a popular Rocky Mountain tourist town in ashes, remnants of a hurricane season that led to record-breaking rainfall and a hailstorm that grounded airplanes are among the top weather-related events of 2024. A worker walks in a devastated neighbourhood in Jasper, Alta., on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken

A wildfire that left a third of a popular Rocky Mountain tourist town in ashes and forced tens of thousands to flee is Environment Canada’s most impactful weather story of 2024.

The weather agency released its annual top 10 list of the country’s most impactful weather stories, ranked by severity, human and economic impact, the extent of area affected and the event’s longevity.

Stories of devastating wildfires, record-breaking rainfall and a costly hailstorm were recognized this year.

Meteorologist Jennifer Smith said Canada is increasingly becoming a place where weather extremes are the new normal.

Smith said a warming atmosphere increases the intensity of events, like heat waves making perfect conditions for wildfires while also intensifying heavy rain in other areas, because warmer air can hold more moisture.

In July, the wildfire that hit Jasper National Park and the town of Jasper was one of the costliest events in the park’s history.

It cut off road access through the park and forced the townsite’s 5,000 residents, along with about 20,000 park visitors, to flee through smoke and falling ashes.

Flames scorched about 350 homes and businesses. Officials estimated $283 million in lost property value.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada said the fire caused at least $880 million in insured damage, which is considered the ninth-highest natural disaster insurance payout in Canadian history.

The fire not only devoured homes but scorched much of the natural landscape. Experts believe it could take more than a century for the burned forest to return to its postcard-perfect form.

A January deep freeze that hit Western Canada was number 3.

An arctic air mass descended on parts of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, plummeting temperatures to -40 C in some areas.

The icy blast crippled daily life on the coast of B.C., as flights were cancelled, roads became perilous and emergency services dealt with an influx in calls.

In Calgary, an August storm brought significant hail, strong wind, heavy rain and flooding, affecting about one in five homes.

Hailstones as big as golf balls hammered the tarmac at Calgary International Airport, damaging WestJet and Flair Airlines planes and forcing the companies to ground 10 per cent of their fleet for repairs and inspections.

Environment Canada’s most impactful weather stories of 2024: