Impressive images of the fire-ravaged town of Jasper

Low temperatures and rain on Saturday gave firefighters some respite Friday as they battled a massive wildfire that destroyed part of the tourist town of Jasper in western Canada. “There are still a few fires in the city that emergency crews are working to put out, but most have been put out.”Parks Canada spokesman James Eastham explained to AFP.

The organization noted that 30% of the town of 5,000 people was destroyed by the fire. “Out of Control” And continues to spread. It has already burned over 36,000 hectares. It will be necessary “several weeks” According to authorities, the fire was contained, and the residents returned “will be difficult”Jasper Meyer underscored Richard Ireland. “It is an indescribable pain that passes understanding”.

The city is located in the heart of Canada’s largest Jasper National Park, which is known for its mountains, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls and attracts 2.5 million visitors each year. Helps to maintain low temperature and rain “Low intensity fire in next 72 hours”Parks Canada, which manages Canada’s national parks and coordinates firefighting efforts in the area, said.

400 firefighters from New Zealand, Mexico and South Africa

Army reinforcements and 400 foreign firefighters from New Zealand, Mexico and South Africa are expected. There were no casualties, and 25,000 residents and tourists in the area were evacuated after the fire broke out overnight Monday into Tuesday.

A lightning strike on Monday afternoon caused the fire to reach a height of more than 100 metres, according to Parks Canada. Alberta’s Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said strong winds pushed the fire 5 km within 30 minutes Wednesday afternoon. Western Canada, which has been affected by severe drought, has seen several fires caused by lightning in the past few days. In total, there are 163 active fires in the province of Alberta.

With global warming, Canada is increasingly affected by extreme weather events. The country fears a repeat of a disastrous year like 2023, which recorded the worst fire season in its history with 15 million hectares burned and more than 200,000 people evacuated.