Steady rain is aiding firefighters in their efforts to contain a massive wildfire that has ravaged parts of Jasper, a popular tourist town in western Canada, authorities reported on Friday.
Jasper is situated in the mountainous Jasper National Park in Alberta. The fast-moving fire has damaged or destroyed up to half of the town’s buildings.
Parks Canada reported that between 10 mm and 15 mm of rain fell on Thursday. “This precipitation will likely keep fire behavior low for the next 72 hours,” a statement said.
“Crews will take advantage of this time to make as much progress as possible to suppress the wildfire and reduce further spread. While rain in Jasper is a welcome sight, warm weather is forecast and will increase wildfire activity.”
Authorities have not provided specific details on the number of buildings lost in Jasper, which normally has a population of around 5,000. Social media videos showed entire blocks burned to the ground.
The town and park, which attract over 2 million tourists annually to the Rocky Mountains, were evacuated on Monday. Officials estimated there were up to 10,000 people in the town and an additional 15,000 visitors in the park at the time.
Late Thursday, authorities announced that crews had managed to protect all of Jasper’s critical infrastructure, including the hospital, schools, and a wastewater treatment plant.
The Jasper Park Lodge, one of the town’s largest hotels, reported some damage, but most structures remained intact. The 400-room lodge is operated by Fairmont, a company owned by France’s Accor.
The Trans Mountain oil pipeline, capable of transporting 890,000 barrels of oil per day from Edmonton to Vancouver, runs through the park. The operator reported no signs of damage as of Thursday.
