Rocky Mountaineer alters itineraries due to Jasper wildfire; tourists asked to stay away

A wildfire on Chetamon Mountain in Jasper National Park has forced Rocky Mountaineer to reroute some of its rail itineraries.

According to CBC News, local officials are warning against tourists visiting Jasper, AB, due to rolling power outages and the town is urging visitors to stay away until the emergency is over.

The fire is reportedly 15 kilometres north of Jasper and currently poses no threat to the town itself – although Mayor Richard Ireland, speaking to reporters yesterday, said the wildfire is still active and is expected to become more intense in the coming days.

According to Parks Canada, the fire is estimated to cover an area of around 5,500 hectares.

Rocky Mountaineer, which operates luxury scenic trains through the region, issued a travel advisory Sept. 8 in response to the situation.

“This is an incredibly challenging situation for this small mountain town and our team is committed to providing any support we can,” the rail operator wrote on its website.

As such, the company has made changes to its upcoming “Journey through the Clouds” and “Rainforest to Gold Rush” departures as “we are unable to travel to or from Jasper while this emergency is underway.”

To ensure our guests can still enjoy the Canadian Rockies, Rocky Mountaineer will reroute the following upcoming departures to leave from or arrive in Banff instead of Jasper.

This will impact the following departures:

• September 6-7, Journey through the Clouds: departed Vancouver, arrived in Banff instead of Jasper
• September 8-9, Journey through the Clouds: departed Banff instead of Jasper
• September 9-10, Journey through the Clouds: will depart Vancouver and arrive in Banff instead of Jasper
• September 11-12, Journey through the Clouds: will depart Banff instead of Jasper
• September 10 and 13 departures, Rainforest to Gold Rush; our team is working through details

Rocky Mountaineer says it will reach out to impacted clients directly to share the details of their revised itinerary “as soon as possible.”

“We ask for your patience as we work through the itineraries in order of departure date,” the company wrote.

The company noted that its “First Passage to the West” and “Rockies to the Red Rocks” routes are still operating as scheduled.

It added that if any future departures on any routes are impacted, “we will contact guests affected as soon as possible.”

Guests may also contact the team by emailing guestexperience@rockymountaineer.com or by calling 1.800.653.4105.

Environment Canada's forecast for the Jasper area predicts a 30 per cent chance of showers Thursday and overnight followed by three days of warm weather. 

"The situation remains precarious," Mayor Ireland told reporters. "Now is not the time to visit Jasper or Jasper National Park."

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