JUNIPER – Second paved road into community will be a City priority

Though details and timing are sketchy, the City will make construction of a second paved road in and out of Juniper a priority, CAO David Trawin told a media conference today (July 6, 2021).

Trawin joined other City spokespersons and RCMP to answer questions from reporters on last Thursday night’s fire that caused an evacuation of many Juniper residents. The fire is now considered out.

He said expediting a second paved road was one of several recommendations he made in a meeting with City council earlier in the day. Funding help will be sought from federal and provincial governments.

In the meantime, though, emergency exits from Juniper will remain locked. Greg Wightman, acting City civic operations director, said the exits just aren’t safe for public use right now, especially with the fire risk in the woods.

He also said it was deemed safest to restrict evacuees to Highland Road on the night of the fire. “We had other plans if needed but sending them down unlit gravel roads wouldn’t have been the safest.”

Reporters were told a full debriefing of response to the fire will be done, with more details to be released later.