All Alberta wildfires contained or under control: province

The province said there were no uncontrollable wildfires burning in Alberta’s protected forest area on Thursday.

The last major wildfires that were previously out of control are now classified as contained or under control.

There are currently 74 forest fires burning in the protected forest area, 28 of which are contained and 46 are under control.

All fire bans, advisories and restrictions for the protected forest area have also been lifted.

Residents should still check the province’s website to see if there are any bans or warnings in their area.

Jasper recovery

A new provincial committee has been formed to oversee recovery efforts in Jasper.

The Jasper Recovery Cabinet Committee was established to oversee the long-term reconstruction of Jasper.

The committee consists of twelve people and is chaired by the Prime Minister. Various ministers and members of parliament are also present.

The committee is working with the Jasper Recovery Task Force to explore temporary housing options for displaced residents and workers.

Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs says discussions are underway to provide Jasper with more temporary housing options.

“There’s a lot of hard work going on every day to find this moving target,” Ric McIver said Wednesday. “It’s supply and demand — demand changes every day — supply changes every day.”

The municipality of Jasper has asked potential builders to express their interest in realizing temporary housing options in or near the city.

The municipality will accept registrations until September 12.