‘Failure Is Not an Option’: Fire-Torn Jasper Entering New Year With Hope and Anxiety

Piles of belongings line the curb, as part of emergency fire-smarting efforts to save structures in Jasper, Alta., after a wildfire devastated the community on July 26, 2024. The Canadian Press/Amber Bracken

This year, Kim Stark’s kids took responsibility for decorating the family Christmas tree.

Ornaments include toy cars, puzzle pieces, string and a pair of binoculars—things her three young daughters had handy after the family lost their home in summer’s devastating Jasper wildfire.