‘Our worst nightmare’: Raging wildfire hits western Canada town of Jasper
Al Jazeera
Authorities say damage is ‘significant’ in Canadian Rockies town as firefighters work to save as much as possible.
A fast-moving wildfire has hit the town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies, causing “significant” losses as firefighters work to hold back the flames.
In a statement in the early hours of Thursday, Jasper National Park said firefighting crews were trying “to save as many structures as possible and to protect critical infrastructure” and more firefighters were en route.
Located about 370km (230 miles) west of Edmonton in the province of Alberta, the park and the town of Jasper, home to 4,700 residents, draw more than two million tourists annually.
Thousands of people were evacuated from the area earlier this week as two blazes edged closer.
“As the pictures and videos circulating online show, significant loss has occurred within the townsite,” Jasper National Park said in a post on X.
