A horrific wildfire devastated Jasper, a resort town in the Canadian Rockies.

According to reports, the blaze incinerated a significant portion of the picturesque town.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith reportedly told the media there’s “potentially 30 to 50 percent structural damage.”

The inferno forced approximately 25,000 people to evacuate the town.

“There are no words. Jasper is burned to the ground,” Ryan Jespersen wrote.

WATCH:

CBC reports:

The video, taken from inside a truck, shows a view of a community forever changed.

Where buildings once stood, charred rubble remains. Many homes in the historic townsite have been destroyed, leaving only the foundations.

The video shows vehicles blackened by fire lining the streets. Scorched trees stand like matchsticks. Flashing vehicle lights flare red over the low chatter of an emergency radio.

The truck pauses briefly in front of one of the burned homes and a man’s voice can be heard saying, “That’s Mom and Dad’s house.”

CBC has verified that the video shows Geikie Street and Larch Avenue.

WATCH:

“We have all seen on the news and social media that horrific pictures and videos coming out of Jasper, homes and businesses have been lost to a wildfire that people are calling a ‘wall’ of flames,” Smith said, according to The Guardian.

“There is no denying that this is the worst nightmare for any community,” she added.

Per The Guardian:

Earlier in the day, Jasper’s mayor, Richard Ireland, told residents in a video message that the scope of damage had left him and others with “profound sorrow”.

“The destruction and loss that many of you are facing and feeling is beyond description and comprehension; my deepest sympathies go out to each of you,” he said.

Justin Trudeau said on Thursday that his government had approved Alberta province’s request for federal assistance, adding that it was deploying military resources and evacuation support, as well as coordinating firefighting and airlift assistance.

“As the 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. Thank you for your courage, and for working non-stop to fight these wildfires,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

“And, to reinforce their efforts, over 400 firefighters from our friends in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and South Africa are on their way to fight wildfires in Alberta, shoulder-to-shoulder with our Canadian teams,” he added.

“Just convened an Incident Response Group meeting on the Alberta wildfires. Every federal agency is coordinated, sending resources to Jasper, deploying evacuations support to the area, and reinforcing firefighting efforts on the ground,” he said.

From the Associated Press:

Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta province, said from 30% to 50% of the town’s structures are potentially damaged or destroyed, saying “that’s going to be a significant rebuild and significant displacement.”

Smith teared up talking about the beauty of Jasper, noting that many families from the province regularly visit. A postcard-perfect mountain town, Jasper is famous for hiking, skiing, kayaking and biking. It is also home to dozens of species such as elk, mountain goats, cougars, lynx, black bears and grizzly bears.

“We share the sense of loss with all who live in town,” Smith said at a news conference in Edmonton, Alberta, while pledging her government’s support for the community to rebuild.

Jasper and the neighboring Jasper National Park had been menaced by fires from both the north and south, and the town’s 5,000 full-time residents — along with 20,000 visitors — fled on short notice late Monday and Tuesday when the fires flared up.

One of the fires raced into the southern edge of the community Wednesday evening as firefighters tried to limit the damage.

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.


We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.