Jasper National Park

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the wildfire that tore through Jasper is the second-most expensive one in Alberta's history for insured losses.

The results from a recent Leger poll suggest more than one in three Canadians have been touched directly by extreme weather such as forest fires, heat waves, floods or tornadoes.

"Even amidst the profound grief and staggering loss experienced by so many, the community's familiar pulse is unmistakable. Neighbours and friends, who had been apart for weeks, are reuniting with heartfelt embraces and teary smiles," a post on the town's Facebook page said on Saturday.

Following the Jasper wildfire, some have suggested we should direct funding toward adaptation to climate change instead of prevention. This thinking is fundamentally flawed — and will only cost more in the long run.

Residents of Jasper, Alta., who lost their homes in last month’s wildfire face unique rebuilding challenges tied to leasing provisions nearly as old as Canada, followed modern rules dictating what they can and can’t construct.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Hinton, Alta., to get a briefing on the status of the Jasper wildfire, as well as meet with the province's premier and evacuees who fled the blaze that destroyed a third of the town.

Parks Canada spokeswoman Michelle Macullo said about 245 people were evacuated from the backcountry, some by air and some by boat.

It didn’t take long for Namneet Singh to find full-time employment again, after a fire in Jasper, Alta., last week destroyed the hotel he had worked at for more than a year.

A fire rampaging through Jasper National Park remained out of control on Wednesday, while officials worked to restore power and water in the park's townsite and to hash out a plan for vacationers to retrieve their stranded camping trailers.

The Alberta premier says her government is striking a committee of senior civil servants to work with Parks Canada and Jasper leaders to swap ideas, expedite development permits and collaborate on ways to restore Jasper as quickly as possible.

"Fire is a natural process and we expect animals to find new places to live," said James McCormick, Jasper's human-wildlife coexistence specialist.

Ron Hallman, CEO of the federal agency, said it was "ridiculous" to assert his organization puts a higher value on nature than people.

With temperatures in the area this week expected to linger in the mid 20s, Jasper National Park says it's vital to keep making progress at this time.

Cool and wet weather is making a difference in Jasper National Park.

Parks Canada says crews in the town of Jasper are fighting flames that are jumping from building to building but critical infrastructure has so far been protected.