Why Jasper wildfire shows it’s a ‘gamble’ being in Canada’s tourism industry

Cool weather and rain brought hope to the Alberta town of Jasper that the wildfire there could be brought under control soon and the recovery for the iconic tourist hub could begin.

But as Canada faces another year of above-normal wildfire activity, many working in the tourism industry are asking if it’s worth it.

“It’s a real gamble being in the tourism industry right now,” said Mandy Nordahn, owner of Mearas Vista Inn in Tofino, B.C.

Nordahn said the wildfire season of 2023 was like no other, and government data backs her up.

With roughly 18.5 million hectares of Canadian land burned, 2023 was the worst wildfire season ever recorded. It surpassed the previous record of 7.6 million hectares scorched in 1989.

Tofino, a major tourist destination in British Columbia, saw the effects of the fires on Vancouver Island last month as well, though wasn’t hit directly.

“Nobody came,” Nordahn said. “All our bookings in June were cancelled.”

Nordahn thought the worst was behind her when she learnt that the news of the devastation in Jasper was spooking potential visitors again.

“I already have people calling me saying they can’t come. It hurts business, but you can’t really blame people,” she said.

The full extent of the damage in Jasper won’t be known for some time, but officials estimate somewhere between 30 and 50 per cent of all structures in the townsite may have been destroyed in the blaze.

This could include hotels, lodges, inns, restaurants and cafes that have stood for years.

Beth Potter, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, said climate change and the increase in the frequency of extreme weather events is now being factored into business.

“As an industry, we’ve spent a lot of time and effort over the past couple of