Parliamentary hearings on Jasper wildfire reveal need for more long-term planning

Witness testimony during a parliamentary hearing Wednesday detailed how the Jasper wildfire could have been prevented with better planning.

Meetings started in late September to examine the reasons why the Jasper wildfire started this summer. Thousands of residents and tourists were forced to evacuate the area and more than 32,500 hectares of land was burned. 

Experts expressed concerns about how the federal government addressed the disaster.

Forester Ken Hodges said he penned multiple letters to Parks Canada and the minister of Environment from 2017-18, expressing concern over an inevitable wildfire in the region. He found that they didn't respond well to his recommendations. 

"If they had completed some strategies around that, and they had seven years in which to do something and come up with a plan of some sort, I think they could have prevented the loss of Jasper town itself," he said. 

"They had plenty of time."

Hodges also had a number of meetings with Parks Canada, offering to help its wildfire management. He developed some concerns after speaking to staff.

"It became quite obvious to us that they just didn't have the experience or the knowledge in relation to the issues that were facing them," he said.

It was clear to Hodges that there were no clear mitigation efforts in the years leading up to the fires.

Some witnesses provided recommendations for long-term planning and prevention. 

Randy Schroeder, president of the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association, attended the meeting representing firefighters who faced the catastrophic flames. He said he wants to see a national solution put in place.

"We believe that establishing a national fire administration would be one of the most consequential policy instruments in the history of fire and emergency management in Canada," he said.

A national fire administration would streamline the co-ordination and communication between municipal, provincial and federal fire agencies on national priorities.

Jessica Kaknevicius, CEO of Forests Ontario, emphasized the importance of appropriately restoring forests for the long term. 

"There's a lot of concern for the health of the forests, there's a lot of concern … around drought, around future conditions," she said. "But looking at how do we restore to prepare for that future climate … is critical."

Choosing the right species of trees can ensure that forests can withstand more and more environmental pressures that come with climate change, she said. 

Kaknevicius recommended that the investments in integrated science and Indigenous-led restoration practices would be beneficial in the long run. 

Evidence and recommendations provided sparked a debate between Liberal and Conservative members of Parliament over next steps to address the prevention of future wildfires. 

The Liberals proposed a conclusion to the Jasper wildfire study, whereas the Conservatives proposed an additional four meetings. 

After heated exchanges, which involved the mention of inappropriate social media conduct by a witness and a Conservative MP, the committee approved an amendment calling for two additional meetings. Those meetings are scheduled for Oct. 21 and Oct. 23.

For Hodges, establishing a long-term wildfire plan is critical to prevent another disaster like the one in Jasper.

"What was done was insignificant and poorly thought out. It did nothing to protect the town from the Jasper fire complex," he said.