State of Emergency: Jasper National Park Evacuated
Thousands of people are trying to exit the town of Jasper due to extreme wildfire threat
Jasper National Park, including the town of Jasper, is being evacuated due to wildfires. The town has declared a state of emergency and nearly 5,000 residents are trying to leave.
“Parks Canada is responding to multiple wildfire starts,” the agency said. “This is an evolving and dynamic situation.” Of the three roads in and out of town, only one remains open: a route west into B.C. The highways east to Edmonton and the Icefields Parkway to the south are closed. Parks Canada has released a statement saying, “Everyone in Jasper must evacuate now. Take Highway 16 towards British Columbia.”
The mountains of Jasper National Park are some of the most iconic in North America, with peaks like Mount Athabasca and Edith Cavell drawing climbers to them every year. The town of Jasper is the home of several mountain guides and companies, including Rockaboo Mountain Adventures.
According to the Alberta Wildfire status dashboard, there are around 170 wildfires currently burning across the province as of July 23 and over 10,000 people have been evacuated. We’ll update the story as more details become available. (Update on July 25: fires have reached the town, more info here.)
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