- The City of Edmonton is supporting the mandatory evacuation of Jasper and Jasper National Park, following a request from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency and the Municipality of Jasper. Starting July 23, evacuees were being accommodated at Kennedale Site, located at 12814 58 Street NW, with 24-hour support for essential services, including lodging, food, clothing, and pet care. The wildfire near Jasper has forced the evacuation of at least 10,000 residents and 15,000 park visitors. The blaze, which was burning 12 kilometres south of Jasper townsite as of the evening of July 23, has consumed at least 6,750 hectares. Another fire north of the town has burned at least 270 hectares, officials said. Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations until Aug. 6 and continues to combat the wildfires amid shifting winds and high temperatures. Evacuees faced hazardous conditions, fleeing west over mountain roads, with thousands later told to turn around to Grande Prairie or Calgary as B.C. reached capacity.
- Premier Danielle Smith is calling for changes to Alberta's emergency alert system after a false alarm about the Jasper wildfire evacuation caused confusion. The initial alert incorrectly stated that the fire would reach Jasper in five hours, but a follow-up clarified that residents and visitors in the area should evacuate within five hours. Smith highlighted the need for better verification processes to prevent panic during emergencies.
- Wildfires in northern Alberta have led to the evacuation of the Chipewyan Lake community and an alert for the hamlet of Janvier due to rapidly spreading fires nearby. Road closures and poor visibility from smoke have further complicated the situation, with two significant fires near Fort McMurray posing additional threats, Alberta Wildfire said.
- Edmonton's Walterdale Bridge could switch to two-way traffic beginning next year to help manage congestion as several bridges are scheduled close for repairs between 2025 and 2029. The City of Edmonton anticipates that these closures, along with LRT construction and Jasper Avenue upgrades, could significantly increase commutes from the suburbs to downtown. The plan includes reconfiguring intersections and routes around the Walterdale Bridge and Rossdale to improve traffic flow, according to a memo sent to city council. Final route adjustments would be implemented before the Wellington Bridge closes in 2025.
- CTV News profiled 10 athletes from the Edmonton area who are set to compete in the Paris Olympics, which kick off on July 24. Notable athletes include Marco Arop in the 800-metre race, Emma Finlin in open water swimming, and Kelsey Mitchell in track cycling. The group also includes Fancy Bermudez in rugby, Daniel Gu in fencing, Emma O'Croinin in swimming, Kindred Paul in water polo, Katherine and Michelle Plouffe in 3x3 basketball, and Lucas Van Berkel in indoor volleyball.
- Sherwood Park's Amanda Rummery will debut at the Paralympic Games in Paris after setting a Canadian record of 57.99 seconds in the Para ambulatory women's 400-metre at the Montreal trials. The 26-year-old University of Alberta student, who lost her arm in an ATV accident in 2015, began competitive running three years later and quickly broke the Canadian 100-metre record. Now ranked second globally, she joins 13 other Canadians heading to Paris for the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games.
- Two Edmonton women are competing in this year's Miss Indigenous Canada pageant. Meghan Breen and Mya McDowell say they learned about the pageant from family and are looking forward to competing. The pageant, which is open to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women between the ages of 18 and 30, focuses on character, community service, and cultural involvement, rather than traditional beauty standards. The event takes place from July 24 to 27 on Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario.
- Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced that Alberta's school boards will receive an additional $215 million in provincial funding to help address significant enrolment increases. Of the funding, $125 million will help with operational costs, while $90 million will be used to add modular classrooms in Edmonton, Calgary, and Airdrie to address space shortages. The funding is in addition to the $2.1 billion over three years allocated in the 2024 provincial budget for new school construction.
Headlines: July 24, 2024
By Mariam Ibrahim