OT: 2024 Weather Thread

[CantHaveTkachev]

Absolutely devastating.

awful awful stuff

glad to see the rain finally came there

 

[joestevens29]

Is there anything left standing?

Only thing that looks unfazed is some sort of green and brown garbage/recycling/donation bins

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Is there anything left standing?

Only thing that looks unfazed is some sort of green and brown garbage/recycling/donation bins

They're having a press conference soon (or maybe now) about it. Looks like the whole town burned down.

 

[Lacaar]

My wife and oldest son went to Jasper Monday. They had planned a vacation tour in B.C about a month ago. They only planned 1 night in Jasper before moving on to other places in the interior. They were evacuated safely Monday night to Kelowna. After rest and recuperation she told me all Albertans were asked to leave B.C due to the fires. She made the drive to Calgary from Kelowna yesterday and should be home in Edmonton sometime today.

Don't want to dwell on the why and how the fires came. But do want to give props to the services in place that got everyone out safe. Hopefully in the end there is 0 loss of life and that should be commended IMO.

On the fires itself it has gotten to the point that it's becoming too risky to plan any vacation into interior B.C over the last few years. This is the second time fires and smoke have cancelled our plans to visit interior B.C

 

[joestevens29]

They're having a press conference soon (or maybe now) about it. Looks like the whole town burned down.

I don't even know what to say. People losing all their belongings(although I assume they took things dear to their heart), homes, vehicles, careers. Hopefully pets were saved, but I'm sure there are piles of wildlife gone now.

My wife and oldest son went to Jasper Monday. They had planned a vacation tour in B.C about a month ago. They only planned 1 night in Jasper before moving on to other places in the interior. They were evacuated safely Monday night to Kelowna. After rest and recuperation she told me all Albertans were asked to leave B.C due to the fires. She made the drive to Calgary from Kelowna yesterday and should be home in Edmonton sometime today.

Don't want to dwell on the why and how the fires came. But do want to give props to the services in place that got everyone out safe. Hopefully in the end there is 0 loss of life and that should be commended IMO.

On the fires itself it has gotten to the point that it's becoming too risky to plan any vacation into interior B.C over the last few years. This is the second time fires and smoke have cancelled our plans to visit interior B.C

I've been to the Kelowna area every year for the past 15 or so years. So many times there when they had fires. Even there twice when they started.

Told my friends and family I love going to the Okanagan, but what good is it to come and have to stay inside for the duration of a trip due to smoke.

 

[Senor Catface]

Not everything is gone.

https://www.reddit.com/r/jasper/s/sDbx9YgLwl

 

[Drivesaitl]

These out of control fires that are flying by at considerable speed can be very random in what they take and what they spare. This seems the case in Jasper today too where one side of town got hard hit, The side around the Petro Canada station hit hard while other areas looking essentially the same. Can only hope that most of the town is intact.

Video shown just above ftr is along Connaught Drive taken from Edge of town, I believe Forest Park Hotel all the way to Crimson Hotel. Too bad the video doesn't go a bit further as that is getting towards the Central part of Jasper at end of that video snip.

 

[Stoneman89]

Don’t really remember the layout of the town but that damn near looks like the whole thing was burnt to the ground

From what I know, it's the south section, relatively small area in the big picture. However, all eyes are on the wind now, which, if it shifts, it will be more catastrophic, if that's possible.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816537732061008200

 

[93LEAFS]

My uncle is under the impression his place is gone (it was close to the Church that was shown to be burned down and is in multiple photos). It does sounds like the northern parts of the main strip have survived for now. Truly devastating for the community, even if your place luckily avoided significant damage, a ton of your neighbors and friends didn't. Thankfully, it sounds like pretty much everyone got out.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This is an updated map circulating online. While JNP Have rebuked it, it is alleged to be an operational map showing East and Central Jasper still standing and much of West Jasper is gone. This map is fairly consistent with the two main videos of town that have been posted today. Reports also that majority of the Jasper "DT" still standing. The landmarks like Athabasca Hotel, Whistler Inn, Astoria Hotel still standing. This is from ground level posts of residents(s) that have remained. Anglican Church is gone.

 

[bellagiobob]

My wife and oldest son went to Jasper Monday. They had planned a vacation tour in B.C about a month ago. They only planned 1 night in Jasper before moving on to other places in the interior. They were evacuated safely Monday night to Kelowna. After rest and recuperation she told me all Albertans were asked to leave B.C due to the fires. She made the drive to Calgary from Kelowna yesterday and should be home in Edmonton sometime today.

Don't want to dwell on the why and how the fires came. But do want to give props to the services in place that got everyone out safe. Hopefully in the end there is 0 loss of life and that should be commended IMO.

On the fires itself it has gotten to the point that it's becoming too risky to plan any vacation into interior B.C over the last few years. This is the second time fires and smoke have cancelled our plans to visit interior B.C

We are at our cabin in BC, and Albertans have not been asked to leave BC. Just had a visit from the the fire dept yesterday who were doing their rounds to make sure everyone knew where to get update info, to have a go to bag ready, etc. Have an out of control fire just over the hill from our place, but thankfully at this point it’s moving in the direction away from our property. Not saying I would highly recommend coming here or anything, but sadly it’s business as usual with this being our new normal. Shockingly the smoke so far this year hasn’t been too bad, but we are still in the early stages of fire season. No rain in the forecast, but thunderstorms predicted for later today.

 

[DaGap]

Sucks for Jasper.

Not unexpected with the hippies running the forestry management departments for 40 years

 

[Stoneman89]

My son was working there last year for a summertime job at the Planetarium. He absolutely loved it there and will carry some fond memories with him. Hopefully that's one of the buildings that will be spared.

 

[Heavy Dee]

This is an updated map circulating online. While JNP Have rebuked it, it is alleged to be an operational map showing East and Central Jasper still standing and much of West Jasper is gone. This map is fairly consistent with the two main videos of town that have been posted today. Reports also that majority of the Jasper "DT" still standing. The landmarks like Athabasca Hotel, Whistler Inn, Astoria Hotel still standing. This is from ground level posts of residents(s) that have remained. Anglican Church is gone.

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I think you're right here. I seen a video of East Cannaught Drive and much was still there. I hope it's still here.

 

[joestevens29]

I don't even know why anyone would have to ask for any help.

Common sense completely gone? Although I guess common sense tells me there is no common sense anymore.

If I was living anywhere remotely close to the forest fires or where forest fires can happen, I'd be very afraid.

 

[DaGap]

I don't even know why anyone would have to ask for any help.

Common sense completely gone? Although I guess common sense tells me there is no common sense anymore.

If I was living anywhere remotely close to the forest fires or where forest fires can happen, I'd be very afraid.

Heh Gov employees are the most useless people in the world

 

[DaGap]

Heres why jasper burnt.

 

[Da McBomb]

Devastating and sad seeing what's going on in Jasper.

With our huge river valley and abundance of trees in Edmonton... it's a bit scary to think of any fires ever spreading in our river valley. Is that something we should be concerned about?

 

[DaGap]

Devastating and sad seeing what's going on in Jasper.

With our huge river valley and abundance of trees in Edmonton... it's a bit scary to think of any fires ever spreading in our river valley. Is that something we should be concerned about?

SHould be completely burnt down

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Devastating and sad seeing what's going on in Jasper.

With our huge river valley and abundance of trees in Edmonton... it's a bit scary to think of any fires ever spreading in our river valley. Is that something we should be concerned about?

No, they can get to those fires quickly plus it’s fairly healthy I imagine.

Jasper was surrounded by millions of dead trees from the pine beetle infestation. For years my wife and I been saying it’s not a matter of if but a matter of when.

 

[Oilhawks]

No, they can get to those fires quickly plus it’s fairly healthy I imagine.

Jasper was surrounded by millions of dead trees from the pine beetle infestation. For years my wife and I been saying it’s not a matter of if but a matter of when.

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Warning signs publicly known at least 6 years ago. 6 years to prevent this from happening (or at least minimizing the impact). What an absolute failure

 

[joestevens29]

I know what happens in the City of Edmonton with regards to removing trees on public land. I can only imagine the shit storm that would've been caused by trying to remove them in a national park.

Hopefully there are lessons learned from this.

 

[brentashton]

We are at our cabin in BC, and Albertans have not been asked to leave BC. Just had a visit from the the fire dept yesterday who were doing their rounds to make sure everyone knew where to get update info, to have a go to bag ready, etc. Have an out of control fire just over the hill from our place, but thankfully at this point it’s moving in the direction away from our property. Not saying I would highly recommend coming here or anything, but sadly it’s business as usual with this being our new normal. Shockingly the smoke so far this year hasn’t been too bad, but we are still in the early stages of fire season. No rain in the forecast, but thunderstorms predicted for later today.

Stay safe Bob.

20+years ago we had a significant forest fire here at the lake we now live at. Back then we were just weekenders.

It was on the other side and we watched water bombers work it for days. Embers from that fire made it to our frontage (3km away) carried by the wind. Quite a bit of property was lost on the other side. I had a lump in my throat the whole time.

Even now, when you go over there you can tell the areas that were burnt - the newer construction en masse is a telltale sign and the lack of any tall vegetation. Hastily built fire guards still exist, albeit now grown in with poplars and small spruce galore.

 

[Drivesaitl]

No, they can get to those fires quickly plus it’s fairly healthy I imagine.

Jasper was surrounded by millions of dead trees from the pine beetle infestation. For years my wife and I been saying it’s not a matter of if but a matter of when.

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Not the least bit ironic that the National Park system, with the supposed mandate to preserve is arguably the worst at managing anything from the parks to the forests to the lakes, services, campgrounds etc. Said it before but large swaths of pine beetle infestations and dead forests were very notable as far back as the 70's and of course never went away, and of course were not adequately dealt with.

Jasper itself, for decades has been among the worst run parks in the Nation, but with the 2nd most revenue from parks passes, camping etc. But unfortunately lions share of that $ that Jasper garners is not spent there. Like everything in Alberta it subsidizes rest of nation.

Before the Whistlers campground improvements the campground was so bad and poorly maintained that trees were growing right under some of the campsite tables. Some right in the Campground pads. Abundant dangerous deadfall trees seen everywhere hanging precariously ready to fall on an unsuspecting camper, tent etc. Just in one circle you could count 100 tress that were potentially dangerous and standing dead. Just leaning on other trees. This reported, nothing done, nothing ever done. They'd take your reports and next time visiting the same thing.

Everything in Jasper has been deplorably run through this millennium. We had been going less because the camping experiences were so consistently anything goes. Parties unabated till 3am in Campgrounds.

What Jasper specifically lacked is some kind of continuity and apparent experience in staffing. The brunt of the staffing being summer hires every year that barely cared about the place. Not even from here because of bilingual requirements.

Could go in a lot more detail specifically on the limited equipment and boots on the ground in Jasper as the fire swept into town but now is not the time.