Alberta wildfires | Jasper residents will be able to visit their properties on Friday

(Hinton) Residents of Jasper, Alta., will be allowed to return home Friday, but wildfire officials say they shouldn’t expect to spend the night there.

“People will be able to go and see their property, but it is likely that they will have to spend the night elsewhere,” Christine Nadon, the city’s chief operations officer, said Monday.

According to M^me Nadon said the reintegration criteria were being met at an “unprecedented pace.” This included restoring emergency services to a basic level and reconnecting most other infrastructure, such as electricity and water.

Essential businesses, including grocery stores, are still recovering, Mr.^me Nadon.

“We hope this first step will bring some hope to the community,” said Jonathan Large, Parks Canada’s chief of operations.

Nearly three weeks ago, about 25,000 people fled the town of Jasper and its famous national park as wildfires closed in on the region. The flames destroyed a third of the town’s buildings. Critical infrastructure, such as schools and the water treatment plant, was spared.

Over the weekend, Parks Canada advised that it would take more than three weeks to restore residential services.

By Sunday night, the out-of-control fire had grown to 330 square kilometres. On August 3, firefighting efforts claimed the life of Morgan Kitchen, a 24-year-old firefighter from Calgary.

There are currently no shelter resources in place for people who have lost their homes.

Authorities recommend waiting a few days before returning to the city.

“Whether your house is still standing or not, you can’t really count on being able to spend the night there. So people need to prepare to return to their current accommodation,” said Mr^me Nadon.

“If a house is still standing, there could be significant damage inside. For those who no longer have a house, they are welcome to come and see their land, but obviously they have to plan to stay elsewhere,” she added.