Approximately 5,000 residents of Jasper, a town in western Canada, were compelled to evacuate on Tuesday morning due to the threat of advancing wildfires. This event marks another chapter in what experts predict could be an unprecedentedly severe fire season.
"This is an ongoing emergency situation... we will update with further details as they emerge," stated the local government in an announcement made at 6:35 AM. Social media footage depicted a lengthy convoy of vehicles exiting Jasper westward in the early hours. Evacuee Stephanie Goertz recounted to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that her 3-kilometer journey took three hours.
The evacuation directive encompasses both Jasper and the adjacent Jasper National Park, situated in Alberta, approximately 370 kilometers west of Edmonton, the capital of the province. In a separate statement, the province confirmed that the evacuation process was proceeding smoothly.
Intense heat across the Northern Hemisphere has exacerbated conditions in the western United States and Canada. Alberta reports that approximately 50 wildfires are currently raging uncontrolled across the region. Last week, wildfires in northern Alberta led to the evacuation of three communities. Neighboring British Columbia is contending with up to 367 active wildfires.
In April, federal authorities warned that Canada faced the potential for another "catastrophic" wildfire season, given the above-average spring and summer temperatures experienced across much of the nation. Last year, Canada suffered its most devastating fire season on record, with over 6,600 fires consuming 15 million hectares, a figure nearly seven times the annual average.
Earlier this month, Suncor, Canada's second-largest oil producer, temporarily scaled back production and evacuated non-essential staff from its Firebag facility, which produces 215,000 barrels per day, due to a nearby fire.
