![In this image courtesy of Le Minh Khue, visitors evacuate Jasper National Park in Canada on July 22, 2024, due to a wildfire. Authorities in the western Canadian province of Alberta have ordered evacuations of the popular park, famous for its mountain peaks, glaciers and waterfalls, and nearby towns due to approaching forest fires. An alert was sent to tourists late July 22 as well as residents living nearby. (Photo by Le Minh Khue / Le Minh Khue / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT « AFP PHOTO / Le Minh Khue » - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS [ NO ARCHIVE ]](https://media.rnztools.nz/rnz/image/upload/s---iJI-xqN--/ar_16:10,c_fill,f_auto,g_auto,q_auto,w_1050/v1721884352/4KMHAV5_000_364W2AD_jpg?_a=BACCd2AD)
In this image courtesy of Le Minh Khue, visitors evacuate Jasper National Park in Canada on 22 July 2024, due to a wildfire. Photo: LE MINH KHUE / AFP
A wildfire reached the Canadian town of Jasper today, one of hundreds ravaging the western provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, as firefighters battled to save key facilities such as the Trans Mountain Pipeline, authorities said.
Wildfires burning uncontrolled across the region include 433 in British Columbia and 176 in Alberta, more than a dozen of them in the area of Fort McMurray, an oil sands hub.
The pipeline, which can carry 890,000 barrels per day of oil from Edmonton to Vancouver, runs through a national park in the Canadian Rockies near the picturesque tourist town, from which about 25,000 people were forced to evacuate on Tuesday.
"Firefighters ... are working to save as many structures as possible and protect critical infrastructure, including the wastewater treatment plant, communications facilities, the Trans Mountain Pipeline," Parks Canada said in a post on Facebook.
The pipeline operator did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, but said earlier it was safely operating the pipeline and had deployed sprinkler protection as a preventive measure.
The town, and the park, which draws more than two million tourists a year, were evacuated on Monday night, at a time when officials estimated there were 15,000 visitors in the park.
Deteriorating air quality forced firefighters and others lacking breathing equipment to evacuate to the town of Hinton, about 100km away, park authorities said on Facebook on Wednesday evening.
Officials of Parks Canada earlier said they expected rain to arrive overnight.
- Reuters
