Forest fires threaten the Rockies National Park
Multiple forest fires near the largest national park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains have forced thousands of people to evacuate. On the night to Tuesday, both visitors and residents tried to flee towards the west on a government warning in the darkness, but they faced challenging conditions.
Photos and videos shared on social media showed cars and trucks leaving the mountain town of Jasper and the namesake national park in a crawling traffic jam. Above all, there was heavy smoke.
"There's bumper-to-bumper traffic," said Carolyn Campbell, a resident of Edmonton, on the early Tuesday morning (local time) by phone from her car. "(The smoke) is quite dense. We have masks in the car." It took them hours to move only seven kilometers forward. They had enough gasoline, but they were worried about those who had little in their tanks.
Employees of the national park and city administration were working to manage the traffic chaos, to supply fuel for vehicles, to ensure the safety of endangered people, and to coordinate the fight against the flames. "Everyone must evacuate Jasper now," read a statement from the Alberta government's emergency services.
The province has been suffering from intense heat for several weeks, and 7500 people from remote communities had to leave the area already.
The forest fires in the Canadian Rockies National Park have affected thousands of people, causing the evacuation of numerous communities. In total, over 7500 people have been displaced due to the intense heat and resulting fires in the region.
