The huge, fast-moving wildfires have razed as much as half of the historic Canadian town of Jasper, leaving officials struggling to control the blazes and save as many buildings as possible. Whole streets in Jasper National Park, located in western Canada, have been reduced to smoldering rubble; charred remains of cars dot the area in a reminder of the destruction.
While there are no reports of deaths, around 20,000 tourists and 5,000 residents have fled the mountainous Alberta province area, a region celebrated for its natural beauty and a popular tourist destination for decades.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said, choking back tears at a news conference on Thursday, that “potentially 30 to 50 percent” of buildings had been destroyed as she announced the extent of destruction in the area. “There is no denying that this is the worst nightmare for any community,” she said, adding that Jasper National Park has been “a source of pride” to so many generations. Emotion welled up in Smith’s voice as she spoke about the sheer beauty of the park and its integral part in the tourism-driven economy. Jasper sees about 2.5 million visitors annually, as does nearby Banff National Park.
Karyn Decore, the owner of Jasper’s Maligne Lodge, was on holiday when news reached her that her hotel had burned to the ground. “I was horrified and devastated when I saw that photo,” she told the BBC. “I think it’s going to take a couple of days for the shock to wear down.” But already turning her mind to the task of rebuilding, Decore expressed the communal sense of loss at losing such a significant property.
Journalist Wendy Hurrell was right in Jasper National Park as the fires broke out on Monday. She shared her terrifying story of how she and her family escaped, with scenes of a furious storm that was dark red in color, with fierce rain and intense lightning. “We are some of the last travelers who will have seen Jasper in all its beauty,” she said in reflection, stating that the town is now devastated and rebuilding could take years.
Hundreds of firefighters from around the globe have been deployed to help in the response, but officials were already warning Tuesday that the full extent of the damage was still coming into focus. Containing the towering flames remains key. A lightning storm ignited the fire, which got out of hand Wednesday with the help of powerful winds, according to Pierre Martel, director of the national fire management programme at Parks Canada. “It was just a monster at that point,” Martel said, acknowledging limitations in their firefighting arsenal.
Flames reached as high as 100 meters in some areas, covering a lot of space in a very quick time. Mike Ellis, the Alberta minister for public safety, stated that the fire sat five kilometers outside Jasper before winds pushed it to the town in “less than 30 minutes.” He continued to explain that the fire was so powerful, “any firefighter will tell you there is little to nothing you can do when you have a wall of flames coming at you like that.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed thanks toward the emergency services responding to wildfires: “As heartbreaking images from Jasper emerge, I want to thank the brave first responders who are in Alberta right now, fighting to save every home and every community they can.”.
On the other hand, there is some hope on the horizon, with Environment Canada calling for rain that might offer some relief from the hot, dry conditions fuelling the flames. It is yet another hard year for the province, which endured a record 2.2 million hectares between last March and October.
Outside Alberta, over 45 active blazes are raging in British Columbia, with fires also burning in US states including California, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Utah. While the global number of fires has declined over the past two decades, researchers say climate change could bring more frequent lightning strikes to northern forests, increasing the danger of wildfires.
In the face of such an unprecedented disaster, the resiliency of the community and the emergency services take the shape of a shining star amidst all devastation. The path to recovery would be long and tiring, but still, the spirit of Jasper was not broken.
