Hundreds of firefighters battled a ferocious blaze in Jasper, Alberta, transforming the picturesque town into a fiery nightmare of charred trees and buildings reduced to rubble. The wildfires, approaching from the north and south, converged into a massive inferno, prompting the evacuation of 25,000 residents earlier in the week.
The full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, but officials fear that up to half of the historic town, nestled in Jasper National Park, may have been lost to the flames. Firefighters are working tirelessly to salvage what remains of the town’s heritage.
Wildfire Impact Details | |
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Estimated Park Area Destroyed: | 140 square miles |
Credit: Jasper National Park, via The Canadian Press, via Associated Press
In this photo released by the Jasper National Park, smoke rises from a wildfire burning near Jasper, Alberta, Canada, Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Credit: Tourism Jasper
Town buildings seen in Jasper, Alberta prior to the 2024 wildfires.