Canada Authorities Order Jasper Residents to Evacuate Due to Wildfire Threat – Statement

WASHINGTON, July 23 (Sputnik) – The Alberta Emergency Alert system issued an overnight order for the evacuation of residents of the Jasper Municipality and Jasper National Park due to an active wildfire threat.

Media have reported on Tuesday that about 4,700 residents of the town of Jasper and visitors of the Jasper National Park have been forced to flee west into British Columbia.

“There is a wildfire south of town. An evacuation order has been issued for the Town of Jasper and Jasper National Park,” the Alberta Emergency Alert system said in a message via the social media platform X.

Residents are requested to follow the local authorities’ directives as the evacuation is in progress, the message said.

Residents have also been advised to bring identification and important documents with them, as well as medication and emergency kits, the message added.

The evacuation order also prompted officials in British Columbia to scramble, looking to find temporary accommodations for the evacuees.

“BC will do everything we can to provide safe refuge for evacuees from Jasper, and are working as quickly as possible to coordinate routes and arrange host communities on our side of the border,” British Columbian Minister of Emergency Management said via X.

The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center has recorded 3,456 wildfires in the country since January and 79 new fires on Monday. Close to 2.15 million hectares of land has been burnt.