By Peter Shokeir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Debris cleanup following the Jasper wildfire will be ongoing until next spring, according to the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre.
Logan Ireland, recovery project manager with the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre, explained at an Oct. 24 town hall the initial goal had been to wrap up debris removal by Nov. 30.
“That was motivated by a psycho-social desire to see [the] town cleaned up and to help with resident’s mental health throughout the healing process,” Ireland said. “As reality set in and careful consideration and safety and cost-effectiveness were taken into account, we adjusted our sights to aim for a new goal of having debris removed by spring of 2025.”
This timeline will allow Jasper to be prepared to rebuild during the optimal construction season, according to Ireland.
The Jasper wildfire is estimated to have destroyed 358 structures, around 30 per cent of the townsite, leaving behind much debris.
Officials have noted that mass debris removal was the most cost-effective approach and was previously done in Slave Lake and Fort McMurray.
“Ultimately, we’re all incentivized to keep costs as low as possible for our residents and to protect their insurance claims,” Ireland said.
EllisDon has been chosen as the primary contractor for Jasper’s mass debris removal. It will work with the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and has selected subcontractors to carry out this work through a competitive process.
Rob de Pruis, IBC’s national director of consumer and industry relations, noted many residents were concerned about policy limits.
“Doing things in a coordinated fashion really helps protect you as a resident and makes sure that you have sufficient funding available under your insurance claim to make sure you have enough money to rebuild,” de Pruis said.
The first step in debris removal is speaking with their insurance adjuster about the claims process. Property owners must also sign an EllisDon work authorization and a Parks Canada leaseholder authorization. Both these authorizations need to go to their adjuster.
Dallas Lindskoog, construction manager with EllisDon, addressed several frequently asked questions.
He noted they were using a budget price rather than a fixed price because the contamination level and amount of debris at these sites were unknown. There are also factors affecting transportation within a national park, such as wildlife traffic jams, and logistical constraints at landfills.
“It was determined that fixed price would only increase the cost in order to cover the risk that I described just now,” Lindskoog said.
Some owners may need to backfill their property to maintain the stability of adjacent properties, and EllisDon is actively exploring options to recycle concrete and metal.
Lindskoog added contractors would do their best to save undamaged structures such as driveways, fences and sheds, but anything within the contamination zone would need to be removed.
“We have industrial hygienists that will participate in that process to determine the boundary that must be removed and then determine the boundary of what can be retained,” he said.
To ensure public safety, trained professionals will test for hazardous materials such as asbestos, and air quality and material containment will be continuously monitored.
Anyone who still needs to retrieve items from their damaged property should contact their insurance adjuster.
More information can be found on the Municipality of Jasper’s website.
