Firefighters are racing to save an iconic Canadian tourist town from a powerful inferno.
Driving the news: Officials estimate between 30% and 50% of structures in Jasper, Alberta have been damaged or destroyed by wildfires. The Canadian Armed Forces have been deployed to help firefighters save as many buildings as possible.
- Buildings under threat include a waste-water treatment plant and the famous Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
Catch-up: Some 25,000 people were evacuated from Jasper earlier this week as two fires moved in on the town from the north and south. Firefighters have faced great difficulty beating back the blazes, as dry conditions and strong winds create ample fuel for flames.
- The Jasper fires are just two of the estimated 177 active wildfires in Alberta right now, with wildfire activity in the province outpacing last year’s levels, which were also high.
- Jasper is in the heart of Jasper National Park, a popular tourist destination that sees two million visitors a year — the second-most for a national park after Banff.
Why it matters: The wildfires could be the worst to hit Alberta since the devastating Fort McMurray fire of 2016 — the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history. They are threatening to impact oil production and could have severe effects on Jasper’s tourism.—QH