GRAND PRAIRIE, Alberta, July 25, (AP): One of two raging wildfires menacing the town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies’ largest national park roared into town Wednesday and began burning buildings.
Jasper National Park officials said the fire entered the southern edge of the community Wednesday evening and crews were battling multiple structural fires and working to protect key infrastructure.
Forest firefighters and others without self-contained breathing apparatuses were told to evacuate to the nearby town of Hinton, with structural firefighters staying behind.
Parks Canada spokesperson James Eastham told reporters outside Jasper that the town is filled with smoke and there "has been structural loss.”
"At this point I can't confirm how many, locations or specific structures. The fire continues to burn,” he said.
Parks Canada said firefighters are working to save "as many structures as possible and to protect critical infrastructure, including the wastewater treatment plant, communications facilities, the Trans Mountain Pipeline and others.”
A few hours earlier, many first responders were ordered out of Jasper National Park for their safety.
Jasper is being menaced by fires from the north and south, and the town’s 5,000 residents -- along with 20,000 more park visitors -- fled on short notice late Monday night when the fires flared up.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they are "mobilizing every necessary resource available." Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she was "heartbroken.”
A record number of wildfires in 2023 forced more than 235,000 people across Canada to evacuate and sent thick smoke into parts of the U.S., leading to hazy skies and health advisories in multiple U.S. cities.
The northern fire was spotted 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) from Jasper earlier in the day. The southern fire had been reported 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) away from the town, but Katie Ellsworth of Parks Canada said strong wind gusts swooping in behind it sent it racing.