In Banff National Park right-of-way forest clearing standards have along major sections, such as Banff to Lake Louise have been minimal and emphasize screening powerlines from visibility. The potential for damage from high intensity wildfires was not evaluated. In contrast, the ATCO Jasper Connector line has been built to much higher standards. The powerpoles are stood in steel pipes filled with non-flammable gravel, they are wrapped in steel mesh, and they stand much taller above the forest than Banff’s power poles. More importantly, in most locations the Jasper line has atleast 30M cleared right-of-way through flammable vegetation compared to many sections in Banff where visibility screening required clearing less than 20M. But even in Jasper the impacts of the 2022 Chetamon Fire shut down the line, but the 2024 fire was less damaging to the main line although it destroyed many feeder lines.
The high intensities of the 2024 Jasper fires further demonstrate that much greater clearing widths need to be maintained around powerlines. The area shown below lies just southwest of Jasper townsite, and even with some fire-risk reduction thinning, had high fire intensities.
Evidence of extreme behavior of the 2024 Jasper South Fire at junction of the Icefields Parkway and Highway 16 in Jasper National Park. The powerline was seriously damaged. At least 50m of vegetation management adjacent to powerlines would be required to minimize damage in old age pine stands impacted by the fire.