Rain in recent hours in Jasper, Alberta, has reduced the growth of the fire, which has ravaged nearly half of the town.
Between 10 and 15 millimetres of rain fell in Jasper National Park on Thursday, the first bit of good news since a raging wildfire swept through the iconic resort area earlier this week.
“Crews will take advantage of this period to maximize their fire suppression efforts as much as possible, in order to limit the spread of the fire north of the city,” Parks Canada said.
In addition to the rain, the arrival of cooler and more humid temperatures in the coming days could make it easier for firefighters to save what remains of the town.
A first map of the fire was released to the public on Friday night.
According to the perimeter drawn by authorities, the flames have burned large swaths of forest along the Athabasca River, as well as the southern part of the town of Jasper. However, the north part of the town has been spared.
The area affected by the fire is now estimated at 36,000 hectares, which is roughly the size of the City of Montreal.
“Levels of fire activity within mapped areas can vary considerably,” Parks Canada said, adding that the map does “not necessarily indicate the level of damage.”
Smoke from the wildfires in Western Canada is expected to reach Quebec during the day on Friday, according to Environment Canada forecasts.
Smoke clouds are expected to continue throughout the territory over the weekend, particularly in the south of the province.
However, air quality should be particularly affected in Northern Quebec.
Located a few kilometres from the city, the iconic Jasper Park Lodge confirmed that its infrastructure suffered minimal damage in the blaze.
“We are deeply relieved that a large portion of the property has been spared and that the resort will reopen in the future,” management said on social media.