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Jasper residents begin to return home Friday morning

Jasper residents began to return home Friday morning after a wildfire destroyed about a third of the townsite in late July.

Dozens of Jasper residents lined up outside the townsite before they were allowed to go in at 7 a.m., and hundreds returned home in the first half hour.

People who live in Jasper are being asked to show their Parks Canada-issued resident parking pass and will receive a re-entry guide.

Tourists are not allowed to visit the mountain town yet. Drivers who don’t have a resident re-entry guide will be directed to drive through the park on Highway 16 but they can’t stop.

Jasper residents return home on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)

‘Mixed emotions’

A number of residents CTV News Edmonton spoke to outside the park gates said they were excited to return home but nervous to see the aftermath of the wildfire.

“I’m very curious to see how things look,” Colin Borrow said Friday morning. “We’re probably fine but you don’t know until you get there.”

“Glad to be heading home but worried about what we’ll find,” David Druyff said. “My house is supposed to be standing but unfortunately my sister’s has been destroyed.”

“We don’t really know what to expect,” Steven Harkema said. “It’s nice to go back home but at the same time there’s a lot of unknowns.”

More to come…

“RCMP will be stationed at the east entrance ensuring everyone entering has a resident re-entry guide,” Parks Canada said. “The only entrance to town will be the east entrance.”

Drivers who don’t have a resident re-entry guide will be directed to drive through the park on Highway 16.

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