Jasper businesses hit hard by wildfire [Video]

More than 2 million visitors come to Jasper National Park each year. Their stay not only benefits Alberta, but small towns in B.C., like Clearwater.

“In a normal week like this, you’d be hard finding a parking space in, midday or anywhere, sort of in daylight hours. right now, you can park anywhere you want,” Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell told CTV News Edmonton.

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Blackwell says 25 per cent of the town’s business comes from tourists visiting the rockies.

With Highway 16 closed, visitors are unable to pass through the town, which is only recently getting back on its feet after the pandemic.

“We can’t afford after taking that kind of hit for a year or two, to have another even multi-week shut down,” Blackwell said.

While 30 per cent of Jasper burned in the fire, much of the town still stands.

Marmot Basin Ski Resort says its infrastructure wasn’t damaged …