The 25,000 residents and tourists who were in the park were evacuated. The fire did not cause any casualties.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke of “distressing images”. A fierce wildfire destroyed part of the tourist town of Jasper in western Canada, in the heart of a popular national park, on Thursday, July 25. Firefighters are still facing walls of flames.
The army is to be deployed to the area to help rescuers who are also hoping to count on the arrival of rain. The fire reached the town on Wednesday after spreading very quickly at the end of the day. The 25,000 residents and tourists who were in the park have been evacuated. According to the authorities, the flames in Jasper are reaching 120 metres high and moving at a speed of 15 metres per minute. The fire has not caused any casualties so far.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland told CBC that his town was experiencing ““simply his worst nightmare”Jasper National Park, Canada’s largest, known for its mountains, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls, attracts 2.5 million visitors each year.
It’s a devastating sight this morning in #jasper friends – a crew from Ponoka County Fire is there supporting the efforts. #jasperwildfire – Keeping my thoughts there for all the crews and families affected by this situation. This video was sent to me. pic.twitter.com/co6ZhflBy3
— Jeffrey Heyden-Kaye (@jeffphotodude) July 25, 2024
Lightning has sparked numerous fires in recent days in western Canada, which is suffering from severe drought. In total, there are more than 170 active fires in the province of Alberta, including more than a dozen in the Fort McMurray region, a hub of oil sands development.
Some 1,900 Alberta firefighters are on the job, supported by personnel from Alaska and Australia. With global warming, Canada is increasingly being hit by extreme weather events. The country fears reliving a catastrophic year like 2023, when it recorded the worst fire season in its history (15 million hectares, more than 200,000 people evacuated, etc.). British Columbia, Alberta’s neighboring province, is also heavily affected by fires with more than 400 active fires currently.