Parts of the popular Canadian tourist town of Jasper have been destroyed as wildfires continue to ravage the historic alpine resort and surrounding national park.
On Wednesday, authorities reported more than 170 fires in the western province of Alberta, fueled by lightning storms, driven by strong winds.
Officials said the fire was 5km outside Jasper when strong winds pushed the town for less than 30 minutes.
And given the speed and intensity of the fire, fire crews working to protect key infrastructure were ordered to retreat.
“Today is a very difficult day for Jasperites, incident personnel and everyone who loves Jasper,” Jasper National Park said on its official X page.
A fire spreading through Jasper National Park forced about 25,000 people to evacuate, according to park officials.
“Significant losses have occurred in the city,” another post from the park read.
“Our focus continues to be to save as many structures as possible.”
In an updated post on Friday, the park confirmed all critical infrastructure in Jasper was successfully protected including the hospital, emergency services building, elementary and junior high/senior schools, activity center and wastewater treatment plant.
“Although more time is needed to complete a detailed damage assessment, it is clear that several homes and businesses have been lost,” the statement on the Facebook page read.
“The fire also damaged several bridges throughout the city and throughout the national park, including the Moberly Bridge and the Old Fort Point Bridge. Bridges on the Icefields Parkway also need to be assessed for structural damage.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said that between 30 and 50 percent of the buildings in Jasper have the potential to be destroyed.
During an emotional press conference where she cried, Ms. Smith said Jasper needs “significant rebuilding.”
“We share our loss with all the people who live in the city and care for it and help build it. Jasper we will continue to stand with you,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the damage was “beyond description and comprehension”.
He said the fast-moving fire was “destroying a small, close-knit mountain community”.
Australian firefighters were dispatched to assist
About 100 Australian and New Zealand firefighters are among more than 400 others from the surrounding area who will help fight the blaze in the coming days.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to X to thank first responders for their quick response to the wildfires.
“As these horrific images emerge from Jasper, I want to thank the brave first responders in Alberta today, fighting to save every home and every community they can,” he wrote in a post.
“Thank you for your bravery, and hard work to fight these wildfires.
“And, to strengthen our efforts, more than 400 firefighters from our colleagues in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and South Africa are on the way to fight forest fires in Alberta, together with the Canadian team.”
Jasper National Park said due to winds with winds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, the fire spread north and south to the town of Jasper and joined.
“With the current rain and cooler temperatures, the fire activity has decreased. However, it is important to note that the fire is still not under control and there is still important work before the situation is safe enough to allow re-entry into the park,” he explained.
“Crews are taking advantage of the current situation to make progress in containing the fire and the community, before conditions return to hot and dry conditions.”
Heartbreaking footage
Chilling footage has since surfaced on social media showing the true devastation of the historic city.
“There are no words. Jasper burned to the ground,” wrote one person on X along with a video of what the city used to be like today.
The footage was taken by an anonymous official from inside a truck showing the burning remains of the city, including burnt cars.
“This is Mom and Dad’s house,” a voice was heard saying as the truck stopped for a moment in front of the damaged house.
One tourist shared footage from his recent trip alongside the caption, “My heart is broken” as he shared what the city looked like before.
News.com.au reporter Lauren McMah was at her favorite tourist hotspot earlier this year and says she too has been devastated by the current situation.
“I fell in love with Jasper a few months ago after we got on the Rocky Mountaineer train,” Lauren said.
“The city itself is beautiful, like a beautiful alpine village with all the colorful and beautiful buildings that look straight out of a fairy tale book.”
“And the surrounding national park is very beautiful. Some parts of it are still damaged by wildfires from a few years ago, the Canadian desert does not seem to recover from fire as quickly as the Australian bush. But everything is just sensational, and there are many wild animals.
He said he didn’t like the people in Jasper and believed it would upset Australians.
“Not only do we know the devastation of fires like this, but the Canadian Rockies are very popular with Australian travelers and this is one of the highlights of the region.
“I can’t stop thinking about the wonderful people we met there, who so graciously welcomed us to the city a few months ago – I can’t believe the footage I’m seeing now.”
According to Jasper National Park, nearly 2.5 million will visit the park in 2023 alone, while the popular Rockies resort town of Jasper has about 5,000 residents.
