B.C. towns full, Jasper wildfire evacuees directed to Alberta

For an update on the wildfire situation in B.C., visit:Progress made on several B.C. wildfires but many still rage.

Buses have been dispatched to B.C. to pick up wildfire evacuees from Jasperand transport them back to Alberta.

British Columbians flung open their doors to welcome the evacuees, even as government officials warned space inthe province waslimited.

"The reality is British Columbia does not have the accommodations for those thousands and thousands of additional evacuees," saidB.C.'s Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma, while emphasizing the province was doing everything it could to support Albertan residents and tourists making their way through the province.

Government officials say at least10,000 peoplewere forced to evacuate from the mountain town of Jasperand an estimated 15,000 visitorsin the national parkwere told to leave late Monday night as wildfire advanced toward the community.

With highways east toward Edmonton and south to Banffclosed, they were asked to take a mountain road along Highway 16 into British Columbiawhere traffic was bumper-to-bumper and slow moving.

The nearest community was Valemount, B.C., where a welcome centre was immediately set up and residents rallied to find space for people to rest.

WATCH | Tourists evacuate Jasper due to wildfire:

Tourist shares family's experience fleeing Jasper wildfires

1 month ago

Duration 2:54

Stephanie Goertz and her family of four say they've been on the road for several hours after evacuating Jasper, Alta., due to wildfires in the area. She shares her family's experience with CBC Morning Live.

600 jammed into campsite meant for 100

Brian Oates is the manager of the Valemount Pines Golf & RVPark, which normally has a capacity of about 100. By Tuesday morning, he said, there were close to 600 people staying on his grounds.

"We said come here, stay with us as long as you need we are here to help you and it's free of charge, as well," he said in an interview with CBC News.

"Seeing everybody coming here crying, they are upset and I'm glad we get to be able to brighten them up a little."

WATCH | RV park welcomes evacuees:

B.C. RV park offers free lodging to Jasper wildfire evacuees

1 month ago

Duration 7:01

Brian Oates says he wants to provide some relief to stressed-out evacuees as they make their way through B.C., so he's providing a free place to stay for more than 600 people at his Valemount RV park.

ValemountMayor Owen Torgerson said the entire community of just over 1,000 people came together to help, from the grocery store opening its doors in the middle of the night, to residents opening up their living rooms and campgrounds. He himself spent some time directing traffic as hundreds of people began arriving in the dark.

"It takes a village," he said.

But even with that generosity, there waslimited space in Valemount and by 4:35 a.m. MT a notice on the municipality of Jasper's website was posted, telling evacuees that the community was full.

LISTEN |Valemount Mayor Owen Torgerson:

Daybreak North6:23Valemount overwhelmed by Jasper evacuees

Mayor Owen Torgerson says many people slept in their vehicles

Day-longdrives ahead for some evacuees

While drivers were asked to stop and rest as needed, those seeking official support from the Alberta government were directed to two emergency reception centres in Grande Prairie and Calgary.

That meantmany more hours of driving, as people take Highway 16 through Prince George to head to Grande Prairie a more than 900-kilometre drive or head to Calgary via Kamloops, ajourney of more than 1,000 kilometres.

Communities on the road said they were prepared to help evacuees in any way they can.

WATCH | B.C. ready to help but space limited:

B.C. focused on giving 'safe passage' to Alberta wildfire evacuees

1 month ago

Duration 8:09

With space in B.C. limited, thousands of wildfire evacuees from Jasper are being told to take a circuitous route back to Calgary or Grande Prairie, with B.C. residents offering support along the way. Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell and Emergency Operations Minister Bowinn Ma discuss the situation.

In Prince George, the city said an emergency reception centre, already set up to take evacuees from wildfires burning in B.C., had welcomed roughly 100 evacuees from Jasper overnight, and a space had been set up for more to "rest and refresh" before moving on, either to reception centres in Alberta or to private lodging elsewhere.

In Facebook groups, residents posted offers of room, food and other donations.

In Clearwater, along Highway 5 north of Kamloops, Mayor Merlin Blackwell said although hotel rooms are full, the local tourism associationhas been putting together a list of resources available for people passing through. Businesses have opened early to make sure people have access to food, bathrooms and other essentials.

"People seem to be organically finding people to [help]," he said.

Goal is to provide 'safe passage'

Blackwell was interviewed on CBC'sThe Early Editionalongside Emergency Management Minister Ma, who said she was "incredibly grateful" for the offers of help that had been streaming in from British Columbians.

Ma saidthe Alberta government isdirecting evacuees back to Calgary and Grande Prairie, so B.C.'s primary focus isto "provide them safe passage" and "provide them whatever support we can as British Columbians."

She noted many of the communities welcoming evacuees from Alberta were already dealing with the fallout from more than 400 wildfires burning in B.C., which have put thousands on evacuation alert and forced hundreds from their homes.

"The reality is that British Columbia is already facing its own wildfire situation and with tourism season and our own evacuees,accommodations are limited, which is why Alberta is directing people to go loop back to Alberta where they can provide longer-term support," Masaid.

"These are challenging times."

Alberta officials shared the same message at a newsconference Tuesday morning, with Stephen Lacroix, deputy minister of Alberta's emergency management agency, saying that while B.C. had been "very gracious in facilitating the movement of Albertans," the province simply had "no capacity to house Albertans" at this time.

Back in Valemount, though, volunteers said they were ready to help as much as they could.

"I've got probably about 24 people sleeping on the floor from various countries and a few Jasper locals," said Pete Pearson, a village councillor and president of the local legion, which opened its doors to evacuees.

In a Tuesday morning interview, Pearson said the community was ready to host as many people as it couldhandle.

"It's going to be a challenge but several organizations are stepping up," he said. "I'll cook pancakes until I run out."

But by afternoon, the small mountain town had largely returned to normal.

Transit buses from Jasper, along with some school buses, had been sent to Valemount to provide rides to tourists or anyone without their own vehicles to make their way to Calgary.

Buses were also dispatched to transport evacuees in Prince George up to Grande Prairie,and many of those who could drive themselves had already moved on.

Among those waiting for a ride inwas Bill Holleman, a tourist from Colorado who was disappointed to have his Jasper vacation cut short.

But, he said, he was incredibly grateful for the help he and his family had received in Valemount.

"Everyone here has been wonderful," he said.