Jasper National Park is a gateway to some of the most breathtaking nature our country has to offer. It’s a place that, for years, has been adored by its millions of visitors, and the thousands of community members who call its townsite home.
In late July, almost 25,000 people were forced to evacuate Jasper, Alberta, as wildfires closed in. Not long after, flames could be seen hundreds of feet above the town, overwhelming firefighters and devastating the community.
As evacuees turned to neighbouring communities for support, many people stepped up, including REALTORS® at a brokerage in Hinton, Alberta, just one hour northeast of the town of Jasper.
“I used to be a firefighter, and when Jasper was on fire, the ashes were falling on Hinton,” says Jeff MacLeod, REALTOR® and broker at RE/MAX 2000 Realty in Hinton and the President of the Alberta West REALTORS® Association.
Even with my experience, given that I’m no longer an active firefighter, I knew I had to help in other ways.
The flames, smoke and heat bearing down on the historic Jasper townsite in late July were part of more than 140 wildfires burning across Alberta. The wildfire, now referred to as the “Jasper Wildfire Complex” is the most devastating to hit the national park in more than a century, burning more than 32,500 hectares of land. In the Jasper townsite roughly one-third of the town has burned down, with many other homes and businesses also damaged.
MacLeod, with other members of his brokerage, and the entire community of Hinton, leapt into action to help Jasper residents.
They’ve organized rentals within Hinton and area to provide living spaces for evacuees and essential workers as the municipality of Jasper prepares for a gradual return of its residents and businesses. Main parts of the town’s essential infrastructure, such as the water plant, survived, meaning Jasper can rebuild; although it will take years.
Part of the challenge in housing people in Hinton, says MacLeod, is that Hinton itself is a tourist destination that routinely takes overflow of people headed toward Jasper.
“A lot of what we are doing is connecting the right people together so that people can find places to stay, get clothing and other supplies and have community support,” says MacLeod.
Amy Darkes-Corrigan, a REALTOR® and property manager in MacLeod’s office, has worked diligently to secure places for people to live. “People desperately need places. Hotel rooms here are few and far between. It’s a horrible situation that we are doing our best to help with.”
Colton Boutin, a colleague in MacLeod’s office, is an active volunteer firefighter with 18 years of experience in addition to being a REALTOR® and salesperson. He had just returned home from fighting fires in northern Alberta when he heeded the call for help and went with Hinton Fire to Jasper.
“Jasper is so close to home and fire departments are like families,” says Boutin. “We take care of each other and whenever it’s time to help, we go. In this case, our fire chief was requested by the province to help with the situation, so we did. I was on the structure protection unit.”
Thousands of people who were forced to flee their homes were allowed to return to Jasper on August 16 after scrambling to seek shelter and other living arrangements for three weeks. Despite returning, accommodations and services will be limited for the near future, say officials.
“There will be a lot of rebuilding for that little town but I know Jasper residents are amazing people and very resilient,” says MacLeod. “They will be back, but it’s still a long road ahead.”
Macleod’s office isn’t the only real estate group stepping up. Many in the area, including the REALTORS® Community Foundation and Liv Real Estate, are helping in different ways, including fundraising.
What can you do to help?
To help those impacted, REALTORS® and friends are encouraged to make tax receiptable donations to the Canadian Red Cross’ 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal via CREA’s REALTORS Care® fundraising portal. Thanks to the generosity of REALTORS® across Canada we’ve already raised more than $63,000.
Donations will be used for assisting those impacted in Jasper and other affected areas in Alberta with immediate and ongoing relief including financial assistance, support to evacuees and the communities hosting them, recovery and resilience efforts in response to the wildfires, as well as supporting community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Alberta.
CREA is deeply thankful to everyone who has already pledged a donation in support.
CREA has also set up REALTORS Care® donation portals for the following standing funds of the Canadian Red Cross:
- the Canadian Disaster Relief Fund;
- the International Disaster Relief Fund; and
- the Canadian Wildfire Fund.
More details can be found on REALTORSCare.ca.
