JASPER, ALTA. — One year to the day a wind-whipped fire forced thousands to flee in the dark of night along one smoke-choked road, the mayor of Jasper acknowledged it was a moment of remembrance that some would much rather forget. “Some of you may be attending today with some measure of apprehension or trepidation, fearful perhaps, that some remark or reflection may trigger an intense and unwelcome reaction,” Richard Ireland told 150 people at a commemoration ceremony Tuesday in a town park.
“Some residents who have returned home to Jasper may have intentionally stayed away this morning to avoid that very risk. “My hope, and I expect yours, is that in paying homage to all that we've been through, in recognizing our progress and our successes, in commemorating this sad anniversary, we do not stir too much.” Other leaders also made remarks.
Some in the crowd wore Jasper Fire Department shirts, some were in Parks Canada gear. The ground was wet from the previous night’s rainfall and the event was set against a backdrop of low-hanging clouds, a contrast to the heavy smoke and ash that blanketed the town one year earlier. A thin layer of snow covered nearby mountain peaks.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski fought back tears as she spoke. "I see homes under construction, businesses are reopening ..
. I know, though, that there are challenges ahead," she said. “Recovery is not a straight line.
“Jasper’s beauty and spirit have always inspired .