Parks Canada says it is still reviewing what went wrong during the 2024 Jasper wildfire, acknowledging early findings that point to failures in emergency planning, interagency coordination and mitigation strategies.

The admission appears in a written response to an order paper question posed by Conservative MP Carol Anstey in which the agency outlined its internal “After Action Review” process for major wildfire incidents.

According to the response, Parks Canada conducts structured reviews after individual fires and annual reviews to assess what happened, why it happened, and what can be improved. The agency confirmed it is conducting internal reviews and participating in external investigations specific to the Jasper wildfire.

Some early findings already identified include the need for stronger emergency planning, improved cooperation between agencies, recognition of the limits of vegetation management as a mitigation strategy, and the importance of building and structure characteristics in determining fire impact.

Although the reviews are not yet complete, Parks Canada says it has already implemented some “early lessons learned,” including strengthening its national emergency coordination system and enhancing wildfire management planning procedures.

The response does not identify specific operational failures, nor does it explain why existing mitigation and preparedness measures failed before the fire began.

The Jasper wildfire started inside Jasper National Park, a federally managed area under Parks Canada’s authority. The federal government had full jurisdiction over fire management during the early stages of the blaze.

The fire later forced evacuations and caused widespread damage, after fuel loads had been allowed to build up inside the park and outside firefighting assistance was initially delayed or declined.

Alberta wildfire crews were eventually deployed to assist, despite not having authority over fire management inside the national park. Provincial officials have said their role was supportive until the fire breached the town.

A consultant-led after-action report commissioned by the Municipality of Jasper later drew controversy for focusing criticism on Alberta’s involvement while downplaying federal responsibility. The municipality subsequently clarified that the review was not intended to assess provincial actions and warned against politicizing its findings.

Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said media coverage of the report misrepresented Alberta’s role and was “misleading and divisive,” while Premier Danielle Smith said the province’s response was “substantial and coordinated” but minimized in public reporting.

The order paper response confirms Ottawa is still determining what went wrong nearly two years after the fire, while conceding that planning, coordination, and mitigation strategies were not sufficient to prevent its impact.

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