Jasper wildfire: Alberta minister urges improved unified command structure [Video]

Parliamentary hearings focused on this summer’s devastating wildfire in Jasper National Park continued on Monday where more discussions were had about what could potentially be done better the next time disaster strikes.

Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis told the hearing committee that he believes provincial authorities should have been better integrated into the unified command structure tasked with dealing with the emergency.

“The fact is that (the townsite of) Jasper is surrounded by a national park where the fire originated,” he said.

“The challenge was that the Parks (Canada) superintendent has oversight for all emergency management decisions for both the park and municipality. This places the province in a position where we can certainly influence but not decide.”

Ellis thanked the Canadian Armed Forces as well as two federal ministers — Dominic LeBlanc and Harjit Sajjan — and said everyone involved in the disaster response worked toward a common goal centred on “the safety of Albertans.”