'He's the epitome of Jasper': Bear statue comes out unscathed after town fires

Jasper's most famous bear is fully intact following last week's destructive wildfire that levelled a third of the town.

Parks Canada confirmed on July 27 that a statue of Jasper the Bear, which serves as the town's mascot, came out of the fire unscathed and is still standing.

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Craig Baird, an amateur historian and host of podcast Canadian History Ehx, told CTV News Edmonton that the statue's condition instills hope for the town.

"I think people always look for some sort of symbol in terms of a disaster. Jasper the Bear very much fits that he's the epitome of Jasper," said Baird. "For him to still be standing really sends a message that Jasper is still standing – both of them are still standing.

"They're still there to welcome visitors when Jasper eventually opens up and begins to rebuild from this terrible event."

Jasper the Bear was first conceived by a Winnipeg-born animator named James Simpkins back in 1948. He created a comic strip with the same namesake for Maclean's magazine where it ran regularly until 1972.

According to Baird, Jasper National Park adopted the bear as its official mascot in 1962 as a means to "promote environmental stewardship and sustainability."

An ongoing list of what is left of the Town of Jasper can be found here.

Grizzly No. 222 and cubs found unharmed

With all of the fires officially put out in the Town of Jasper, animals are also expected to rebound in the region.

Thanks to a GPS collar, Parks Canada officials were able to confirm that a bear classified as "Grizzly No. 222" and her cubs have taken refuge in a wet area near the Athabasca River after the wildfire tore through Jasper National Park.

The pack of bears were seen on the Jasper Park Lodge grounds with no apparent injuries.