It害羞草研究所檚 been hard to find a hotel room in Hinton, Alta., lately.

Firefighters from across Canada and around the world have been calling the town of 10,000 home since late July after joining the fight against massive wildfires some 75 kilometres down the highway in Jasper National Park.

Also stationed in Hinton for the past few weeks have been Parks Canada, Red Cross and Alberta Emergency Management Agency personnel, as well as some of the 5,000 Jasper, Alta. residents ordered out on July 22.

Less than 48 hours after the evacuation order was issued, the fires reached the townsite and destroyed 358 buildings, or a third of the community害羞草研究所檚 structures. That included some 800 housing units.

An estimated $283 million in property value was wiped out.

Hinton officials and community leaders say the town will continue to do all it can to support its municipal neighbour, despite dealing with their own issues as a result of the fires.

害羞草研究所淲e all have colleagues and friends and family that live and work out of Jasper,害羞草研究所� said Tyler Waugh, executive director of the Hinton Chamber of Commerce.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of people didn害羞草研究所檛 even know how to help, but they just got into action and tried to do something just to show support.害羞草研究所�

Local restaurants have been preparing free meals for firefighters and evacuees, while community groups have been amassing donations to make sure those who lost everything have clothes and other basics.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had more help and assistance for displaced people than we害羞草研究所檝e actually had displaced people,害羞草研究所� said Hinton害羞草研究所檚 Mayor Nicholas Nissen.

害羞草研究所淓veryone害羞草研究所檚 telling me that Hinton害羞草研究所檚 been great to work with, that the people of Hinton have been very welcoming, and that害羞草研究所檚 the community that I moved into and that害羞草研究所檚 the community I was attracted to originally.害羞草研究所�

Both Nissen and Waugh said many businesses have been struggling from lost visitors due to the park closure.

害羞草研究所淏usinesses have tried to do what they can 害羞草研究所� but a lot of them have been doing this to their own detriment,害羞草研究所� said Waugh, who also publishes and edits a weekly community newspaper called the Hinton Voice.

害羞草研究所淲hat we害羞草研究所檝e gone through pales in comparison. But at the same time, there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of businesses in town that are hurting right now.害羞草研究所�

The chamber is surveying businesses to get a clearer understanding of the fire害羞草研究所檚 direct impacts, but he said it害羞草研究所檚 possible some businesses have needed to lay off staff.

Not every business is in such dire straits.

The owner of the Hinton Home Hardware Building Centre said he害羞草研究所檚 hired extra staff in preparation for the rebuild as he害羞草研究所檚 expecting many Jasper residents will stop in for anything from cleaning supplies to new appliances now that they have been allowed to return home and start rebuilding.

害羞草研究所淎ll of a sudden the needs that we generally supply the community changed,害羞草研究所� said Marcel Preville, who has been running the hardware store since the fall of 2020.

Shortly after the fire hit town, Preville said he reached out to friends in Fort McMurray who went through its 2016 wildfire evacuation to get a better idea of what supplies he should keep in stock over the coming weeks and months.

He determined that fridges and freezers would be a priority.

害羞草研究所淪o within three days, we had 150 fridges and freezers sitting in our store,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淲e need to go in hard and fast and we need to co-ordinate everything and we need to get it in there because people want to get back to normal and they want to live in their homes and they need food 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檙e tired of eating out.害羞草研究所�

Besides appliances, Preville said he害羞草研究所檚 stocked up on air filters for furnaces and air conditioners as well as cleaning supplies that won害羞草研究所檛 chemically react to the fire retardant used in Jasper. He also ordered extra duct tape.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 more prepared to be able to help the community next to our community than our community,害羞草研究所� he said.

Considering the likelihood that not every Jasper resident will return and rebuild, like what was seen after the Fort McMurray fire, Nissen said he thinks Hinton is in a 害羞草研究所渦nique害羞草研究所� position to absorb a sudden population increase, whether it害羞草研究所檚 temporary or permanent.

害羞草研究所淚 think that we will absorb the folks that we need to fairly well,害羞草研究所� said Nissen. 害羞草研究所淲e even have plenty of land, we can get work camps and temporary housing set up as needed.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗inton is going to be here, and we害羞草研究所檙e going to continue to do everything we can to support our neighbours and help them get their paradise built back to paradise standards.害羞草研究所�

Welcoming Jasper residents back to the national park on Friday morning was Hinton害羞草研究所檚 fire chief Mac de Beaudrap.

Standing next to a Hinton fire truck on the side of Highway 16 that morning, through rain, clouds and sunshine, he waved to each and every group headed home.

Many honked, smiled, and waved right back.

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Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press