Wildfires Force Mass Evacuation in Canada's Rocky Mountains

Out-of-control wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia have forced around 25,000 people to evacuate Jasper and its surroundings. Jasper National Park, popular among tourists, was evacuated due to intense fires. Officials are on high alert as the situation is expected to worsen. Over 275 wildfires are deemed uncontrollable.

Out-of-control wildfires have forced some 25,000 people to evacuate the picturesque tourist town of Jasper and its surroundings in Canada's Rocky Mountains early on Tuesday. Wildfires continue to spread across the western provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

Jasper National Park, which attracts more than two million tourists annually, was evacuated overnight alongside the town. Officials reported up to 15,000 visitors in the park at the time. Social media videos showed long lines of cars slowly evacuating the area. Evacuee Stephanie Goertz recounted it took her three hours to drive just three kilometers.

Presently, there are 170 wildfires burning in Alberta and 375 more in British Columbia. Christie Tucker, Information Manager at Alberta Wildfire, stated firefighters are bracing for challenging conditions as a cold front and wind shift may intensify the fires. Extra firefighters and aircraft are on standby to assist Jasper. Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis informed that the wildfire was about 12 km south of Jasper along both sides of the river. The evacuation order, issued late Monday, directed people to head west into British Columbia as routes to Calgary, Alberta, were under threat.

Scorching heat since early July has exacerbated the conditions. Thousands have evacuated their homes, including those near the oil sands hub of Fort McMurray. Suncor temporarily reduced production and evacuated non-essential workers from its Firebag site due to nearby fires. Federal officials had predicted another catastrophic wildfire season, following last year's record-setting season where over 6,600 blazes burned 15 million hectares.