'A war zone' in Jasper: What it's like to come home after a wildfire

Jasper businesses face economic crisis A survey found more than half of Jasper's businesses are 2 months away from closing without financial support. Chelan Skulski reports.

“It’s basically a pile of ashes and debris,” said Ron Czobitko, leaning against his car in the west side of Jasper, Alta., which he described as a “war zone.”

More than three weeks ago, a wildfire tore through the town, destroying about 30 per cent of the town’s structures. Most of the buildings lost were homes and businesses.

Czobitko returned with his wife from a trip to B.C. to find their house had been reduced to rubble.

“There were things I recognize. But most of it, I don’t know what it is.”

About 1,500 people have stopped by the Red Cross tent to pick up cleaning supplies. Officials say ATCO gas has reconnected more than 600 homes.

Czobitko is surveying his property with an insurance broker, and he’ll rely on the help of professionals to sift through the rubble in search of anything salvageable.

“It’s kind of hard to believe. It’s more of a nightmare,” he said. “The east side of town looks like nothing happened.”

Gus Vlahos owned L & W Family Restaurant – which opened in the 70s as a single room and kitchen off the back of a gas station. In the years since, it had expanded to include a sunny, plant-filled dining room with a heated patio, advertising “a place for that special meal that does not require fancy dress.” It was also destroyed by fire.

“It’s heartbreaking. You work 60 years and then all of a sudden you lose everything,” he said.

Recent rainfall has dampened the spread of the wildfire, which is still burning. “We’re not expecting any future growth or any threat to the municipality at this time,” said Mathew Conte, the fire chief for the Municipality of Jasper.

But with all that moisture, there is concern about unstable slopes around the town and surrounding highways, according to Jasper National Park’s Field Unit Superintendent Alan Fehr. He says teams are still surveying the area.

Highway 16 east of the Jasper gates re-opened Monday morning and RCMP are no longer at the check stop. However, they are patrolling inside the town.

Officials say only Jasper residents, business owners and professionals helping them are allowed in the town for now.

“We ask you for your kindness and respect in that and if you do show up in town you can expect to be intercepted by an RCMP officer,” said Christine Nadon, Incident Commander with the Municipality of Jasper.