KLIMAAT
Rockies-resort Jasper in brand, duizendenop de vlucht
July 26, 2024 - Buildings in the Canadian tourist town of Jasper have been burning after wildfires forced 25,000 people to evacuate the area earlier this week, officials said.
Jasper is in the middle of mountainous Jasper National Park, in the province of Alberta. The town and the park, which draw more than two million tourists a year, were evacuated on Monday, when officials estimated there were up to 10,000 people in the town and a further 15,000 visitors in the park.
Parks Canada said there had been a "significant loss" of buildings inside the town but added it could not give specific details of the damage, or which areas had been burned and it urged residents not to return.
One major concern for responders is if the fire damages the Trans Mountain oil pipeline, which can carry 890,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Edmonton to Vancouver, Reuters said.