Latest news with #MorganKitchen
CTV News
7 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘We will never forget Morgan': Jasper honours anniversary of firefighter's death
Morgan Kitchen, 24, died fighting the wildfires in Jasper on Aug. 3, 2024. Sunday marked one year since Morgan Kitchen died while fighting the wildfire in Jasper National Park. On the tragic anniversary, both the municipality and Alberta Wildfire commemorated the day on social media. Kitchen, 24, was a firefighter from Calgary based in Rocky Mountain House. He was struck by a falling tree while fighting the blaze that changed many Jasperites' lives. In a statement on Facebook, Jasper officials said that Kitchen's 'courage, dedication and deep sense of service were felt by all who worked alongside him.' 'His family describes him as 'generous and hospitable, and genuinely interested in and caring towards others, he lived a life that was about more than himself,'' the statement said. Alberta Wildfire shared similar sentiments while recognizing 'all our firefighters, contractors and staff members who face danger to keep communities safe.' 'One year later, the community of Jasper continues to honour his memory and stand with all those who knew and loved him,' read the statement. 'We will never forget Morgan.'
CBC
21-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Jasper to commemorate 1 year since wildfire decimated townsite
Nancy Addison is still waiting for a house to come home to, one year after a wildfire raged through Jasper, Alta. She moved to Jasper with her husband about 40 years ago. She spent most of that time as a school teacher, but also immersed herself volunteering in the community during her time as the people's warden for St. Mary and St. George Anglican Church. But Addison has bounced around Canada for the past year. Her house was one of the 358 structures in the beloved tourist town — about one-third of its buildings — that were decimated by flames. "It makes you feel very far away, without support when you're … moving from place to place," she said. "That stings the heart. My sense of community is strong, but there are lots of people that won't come back." It was a matter of days before several fires, which eventually formed the Jasper Wildfire Complex, forced thousands of people to evacuate the national park, including the roughly 5,000 residents of Jasper. Flames south of the townsite, about 315 kilometres southwest of Edmonton, reached the community during the evening of July 24, 2024. Evacuees were displaced for weeks, at least. Those who lost homes had to stay away longer. Firefighter Morgan Kitchen, a 24-year-old man from Calgary, died during the response. The Municipality of Jasper is commemorating the one-year anniversary this week through various events, including aquafit classes, painting workshops, an online talking circle for displaced residents and live music. Mayor Richard Ireland and other representatives will be leading some of the events. Jasper's chief of administration, Bill Given, recognizes that the one-year mark will be different for everyone. Nevertheless, he hopes all residents will be able to participate in some capacity. "We appreciate that this is going to be a difficult time for many people in our community," Given said. "We want to ensure that they have access to a way to commemorate the events of the past year in a way that's meaningful, but also that they have an opportunity to look forward to a brighter future." Efforts to rebuild in Jasper have been steady, but slow. Addison still has no stable housing. She's currently staying in a cabin at Riding Mountain National Park, after moving between Vancouver, Ottawa and Revelstoke, B.C., to live with friends and family. She is working with a builder to design a new home, which she hopes will be ready to move into in two years. For now, Addison said she has a lot to be thankful for. "I'm learning to live with less, and understanding that it is possible to live with three sets of clothing and one car, and move from place to place and just keep rotating your clothes. You just don't need very much to survive," she said.
CBC
17-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Jasper wildfire review recommends municipal response improvements
The Municipality of Jasper has released a report offering about two dozen recommendations to improve emergency response in various ways after last year's wildfire, including several with a focus on the gaps in interagency co-ordination. Among them was the need to better define jurisdictional boundaries between the municipal and Alberta governments, Parks Canada and provincial agencies like Alberta Wildfire. Responding to emergencies, like wildfires, is typically a provincial duty, but Jasper falls within federal jurisdiction because it's in a national park. Officials from the three levels of government previously expressed how navigating those jurisdictions complicated the recovery effort. The report, prepared by consultants hired by the municipality, was released nearly a full year after a large wildfire reached the Jasper townsite, about 315 kilometres southwest of Edmonton. The fire destroyed 358 structures in Jasper — about one-third of its total structures. Firefighter Morgan Kitchen was killed after being struck by a falling tree. Its purpose is not to assign blame, the report states.
