Canada: Devastating wildfire destroys part of western Canadian tourist town
PTC News Desk: Firefighters were attempting on Thursday to preserve as many buildings as they could in the western Canadian tourist town of Jasper, which has been completely destroyed by a roaring wildfire and may have destroyed up to 50 per cent of its structures, according to authorities.
Jasper is located in the heart of Alberta's mountainous Jasper National Park. More than 2 million tourists visit the town and park annually. On Monday, officials estimated that up to 10,000 people were in the town and an additional 15,000 visitors were in the park. As a result, the town and park were evacuated.
Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith told reporters, "There is no denying that this is the worst nightmare for any community," fighting back tears.
She stated, "We're seeing potentially 30 per cent to 50 per cent structural damage... that's going to be a significant rebuild," noting that the fire was still out of control.
Parks Canada issued an advisory to the locals not to return, stating that there had been a "significant loss" of buildings within the town, but it was unable to provide detailed specifics about the extent of the damage or identify which parts had been destroyed. Town video displayed burning cars and several blocks, including a historically significant Anglican church.
Eva Korduliakova, a resident of Jasper, received word on Thursday morning that her home was on fire from hundreds of kilometers (miles) away when she and her seven-year-old son were visiting relatives in the Czech Republic.
She said in an email, "I am a single mother who became homeless and jobless overnight." "Our home is no longer there. I was unable to seize any of my possessions."
According to Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland, the community was starting to accept "the devastating impact" of the fire.
He broke down in tears as he said, "Last night's wildfires have simply ravaged our small tight-knit mountain community, the destruction and the loss that so many of our residents are facing simply defies description," at a press conference.
Responders' top worry is whether the fire would harm the Trans Mountain pipeline, which has the capacity to transport 890,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) from Edmonton to Vancouver.
Trans Mountain, the company that operates the pipelines, stated in a statement, "At this time there is no indication of damage to our infrastructure and the pipelines continue to operate safely."
As the wildfire conditions grew worse, CN Rail (CNR.TO), opens new tab, announced that it had suspended rail operations through the town on Wednesday afternoon. The largest port in Canada, Port of Vancouver, announced that it anticipated delays in the flow of cargo through the port in the upcoming days as a result of the events in Jasper.
Emergency response teams are being sent by the federal government and other Albertan cities. Furthermore, in the upcoming days, 400 firefighters from South Africa, Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand are scheduled to arrive.
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'WALL OF FLAMES'
Over fifty of the 176 wildfires that are raging in Alberta right now are out of control. Near the British Columbian border, where 423 wildfires are raging and numerous evacuation orders and advisories are in effect, are about ten of those flames.
The Incident Response Group met on Thursday afternoon, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to talk about the wildfires in Alberta.
"Every federal agency is coordinated, sending resources to Jasper, deploying evacuations support to the area, and reinforcing firefighting efforts on the ground," Trudeau wrote on X.
The Canadian government warned in April that tinder-dry forests and hot temperatures might make this year's wildfire season disastrous. Strong winds and a lightning strike on Monday afternoon started the Jasper fire, according to Parks Canada.
According to Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis, the fire grew to a height of 100 meters (328 feet) on Wednesday afternoon, and it was pushed 5 km (3 miles) in less than 30 minutes by powerful wind gusts.
"Any firefighter will tell you there's little to nothing you can do when you have a wall of flames coming at you like that," Ellis stated. The 10 to 20 mm (0.4 to 0.8 inch) of rain that Environment Canada is predicting on Thursday could be beneficial for firefighters.
One of the biggest hotels in the area, the Jasper Park Lodge, reported that the fire had spread to its property. Fairmont, a company controlled by Accor (ACCP.PA) of France, is in charge of the 400-room hotel opens new tab.
Since a fire in 2016 that forced the evacuation of all 90,000 people of the oil town of Fort McMurray and destroyed 10 per cent of the city's structures, the Jasper fire may be among the worst to hit Alberta.
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- With inputs from agencies
