The thick blanket of smoke that has swallowed up Jasper over the past week should be a wake up call that the threat of wildfire is a real and present danger in Jasper National Park.
It should also be used as an opportunity for residents to ensure they have a 72-hour emergency kit ready to go and a full tank of gas in case of an emergency.
For the laggards among us, we only need to look to British Columbia to understand why being prepared is of the utmost importance.
Currently more than 200 wildfires are burning across the interior of the province and over 14,000 people have already been forced out of their homes by evacuation orders.
The problem has become so severe the province declared a state of emergency on July 7, the first time in 14 years.
Wildfires of course are not new to Jasperites, but so far our community has been lucky to avoid the destruction and chaos we鈥檝e seen in British Columbia and in Fort McMurray in 2016.
Closer to home Jasper saw first hand just how quickly a wildfire can spread when lightning started a fire at the north end of Medicine Lake on July 9, 2015.
That fateful day began just like any other day. The town was bustling with tourists, restaurants were full and people were going about their business enjoying the beautiful summer weather.
But all of that changed when somewhere in the stratosphere a plane spotted the first sign of trouble in the Maligne Valley.
Within minutes, an initial attack crew was dispatched and almost immediately it was determined that the fire was already too large to put boots on the ground; it would require an aerial attack.
Within 45 minutes the fire went from a small plume of smoke rising over Signal Mountain to a running crown fire moving southeast towards Maligne Lake.
The call quickly went out to evacuate the valley and over the course of the next two days 1,000 people were evacuated, including more than 50 people from the Skyline Trail, most of whom had to be airlifted out.
Through luck and a little bit of help from Mother Nature Parks Canada declared the fire under control by July 20, however the event was a sobering reminder of how quickly a wildfire can spread and how important it is to be prepared.
One of the best things people can do to prepare themselves is removing flammable brush from their property and making their homes FireSmart.
In the event of an evacuation, information from the municipality will be communicated through the Alberta Emergency Alert system. If an evacuation order is issued, media will be interrupted with the evacuation information.
Information will also be communicated through the Jasper Emergency Information Hotline at 780-852-3311 and on CJAF 92.5 FM.
Other media sources, including the 51暗网, the municipality鈥檚 website and social media websites will also be used, including Community Outreach Services, the Jasper Park Chamber of Commerce, Parks Canada and Tourism Jasper.
During the first 72 hours, people should be prepared to look after themselves and their families, as emergency services take care of the community鈥檚 most vulnerable populations.
At the end of the day being prepared will be the difference between getting out alive or leaving your fate up to Mother Nature.
