Alberta’s Grande Prairie — Up to half of the buildings in the almost abandoned town of Jasper were destroyed overnight by a swiftly spreading wildfire in the Canadian Rockies that had forced 25,000 people to evacuate, authorities said on Thursday.
Following a widespread evacuation of the scenic resort and a nearby national park earlier in the week, there were no early reports of casualties; nonetheless, Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said in a message posted on the town’s website that the wildfire “ravaged our beloved community.”
“My deepest sympathies go out to each and every one of you; the destruction and loss that many of you are facing and feeling is beyond description and comprehension,” he said.
Between thirty and fifty percent of the town’s buildings may be destroyed or severely damaged, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who added, “that’s going to be a significant rebuild and significant displacement.”
Smith became down in tears while discussing Jasper’s beauty and mentioning how many families from the province come here on a daily basis. Jasper is a picture-perfect alpine town that is well-known for its riding, kayaking, hiking, and skiing. Numerous animals, including elk, mountain goats, cougars, lynx, black bears, and grizzly bears, call it home.
A charming village and a “sense of loss”
At a press conference in Edmonton, Alberta, Smith said, “We share the sense of loss with all who live in town,” and she assured reporters that her government will help the community’s efforts to recover.
flames had threatened Jasper and the nearby Jasper National Park from both the north and the south. The town’s 20,000 tourists and 5,000 full-time inhabitants quickly evacuated when the flames flared up late on Monday and Tuesday.
As firefighters attempted to contain the damage on Wednesday night, one of the flames rushed into the community’s southern boundary.
A wind gust propelled the wildfire around 5 kilometres (about 3 miles) towards the town in probably less than 30 minutes, according to Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis. He estimated that the fire wall was 100 meters high.
“People need to imagine what it was like for individuals affected by the wildfire at that time. A wall of fire like that is rushing at you, and as any fireman will tell you, there’s not much, if anything, you can do,” Ellis said. “Nobody expected the fire to arrive so quickly and so massively.”
According to Pierre Martel, director of fire control at Parks Canada, the fire started on Monday and spread quickly due to winds, lightning, and a drought. On Wednesday, the fire reached the town, with flames reaching beyond the trees.
At that moment, it’s simply a monster. At that point, we have no tools in our toolbox to cope with it. You move aside, you withdraw,” he said.
“No reported injuries,” according to a post on X from Parks Canada, which also said that “roughly 25,000 people were safely evacuated from the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park.” Everyone who lives there, visits here, and responds is safe.”
Officials from the park said that the fire was still being fought and that it was too soon to estimate the extent of the damage. They begged for patience, stating that even with the little rain that dropped over night, the fire is still out of control.
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One of the residents said, “I have no idea where I go now.”
After thirty years as the owner and resident of the Austrian Haven B&B, Annelies Lagger said she is waiting to find out whether the property has been destroyed, but she is not hopeful since all the surrounding properties have been demolished. She stated she ran away with her dog and thirteen cats.
“Where I go now, I have no idea. Either heaven or hell. My life was that. How much labour that was, you can imagine,” she said. “I believe I am in shock.”
Her daughter and son-in-law, among other relatives, had their houses demolished, she said. Everything was dried out by the heat. And the town’s vanished now,” she said.
Lagger said that she will soon need to find new homes for her family and “for my critters,” even if she was currently receiving refuge in Valemount, British Columbia, from a nice stranger.
“I’m a very strong woman. Despite being eighty-two years old, I start again no matter what,” she said.
The request for federal help, including military resources, from Alberta has been authorised by the government, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
One of our country’s treasures is Jasper National Park. Because of its breathtaking mountainous scenery, the Canadian Rockies’ parks, including Jasper, were named World Heritage Sites by the UN in 1984.
Alberta has been roasting in temperatures so high that another 7,500 people have already been compelled to leave isolated settlements. There were around 176 wildfires raging throughout the province, 54 of which were out-of-control.
Speaking on behalf of Alberta Wildfire, Christie Tucker said that firefighters anticipate winds to increase the threat, and Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen stated that lightning is the primary cause of many of the fires.
According to Tucker, hundreds of firemen are travelling from South Africa, Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand to assist in battling the flames that are raging over the province.
In 2023, there were a record number of wildfires in Canada that resulted in the evacuation of over 235,000 people. The smoke spread to sections of the United States, creating hazy skies and health warnings in many American cities.
