Residents forced to flee a massive wildfire in Jasper three weeks ago will soon start returning home.
Officials in the Alberta community announced Monday that the plan is to allow re-entry on Friday.
Emergency services such as fire, police and EMS have been restored in the town.
However, it could take a few more weeks to fully reconnect gas, water and electricity.
Officials have estimated that around one-third of the town’s structures were destroyed.
Meanwhile, trails, campgrounds and day-use areas in Jasper National Park are not included in this phase of the re-entry process.
Parks Canada said there are still many areas in the park that must be assessed for safety before re-opening.
Many risks still remain in those areas, they said, such as ash pits, reduced air quality, hazardous trees and hazardous waste requiring containment.
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