Wildfire near Jasper National Park prompts evacuation orders and highway closures – Canada News

UPDATE 21:40 hrs

An evacuation order has now been issued for the town of Jasper and Jasper National Park.

A release from the Alberta government said a wildfire south of the city was expected to reach the community within five hours, and the city has declared a state of emergency.

Evacuees are asked to use Highway 16 towards British Columbia

According to Parks Canada, many highways in the area are closed.

Highway closures:

• Highway 16 is closed at Highway 5.

  • No traffic is allowed in the east. Traffic is allowed in the west.

• Highway 16 is closed at Highway 40.
• Highway 93 is closed to all traffic at Saskatchewan Crossing.

  • Traffic south of Saskatchewan Crossing is heading south.
  • Traffic north of Saskatchewan Crossing is heading north.

• All traffic in Jasper heads west.

Evacuations took place on:

• Athabasca Inn
• Wabasso Campground
• Kerkeslin pit
• Snaring camping
• Flooding of the trap
• Palisades Management and Education Center

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ORIGINAL 21:15 hrs

A wildfire in Alberta has closed a major highway through Jasper National Park and has prompted an evacuation warning for both the park and the town of Jasper.

The RCMP reported Monday evening that the Municipality of Jasper is dealing with wildfires in the area and that Highway 16 is closed to westbound traffic at the entrance to Jasper Park on the east side.

The eastern entrance to Jasper will also be blocked and Highway 93 along the Athabasca River is also closed.

Parks Canada reported earlier in the evening that its firefighters and the Jasper Fire Department responded to a wildfire near the town’s transit station, which is located about nine kilometres northeast of the town of Jasper.

An emergency alert was later issued for the city and park in Alberta, stating that while there was no immediate danger to the city, people should prepare for a possible evacuation.

The RCMP advises against travel west of Hinton, Alta.

“Please avoid the Jasper National Park area along Highway 16 and allow emergency responders to do their work safely,” the RCMP said in a news release.

Parks Canada reported in a Facebook post that evacuations have taken place at several campgrounds, as well as the Athabasca Hostel and the Palisades Stewardship and Education Centre.

“Parks Canada is responding to multiple wildfires. This is a changing and dynamic situation,” the agency said in the post.

About 7,500 people in Alberta were issued evacuation orders on Monday.

The three communities that make up Little Red River Cree Nation — John D’Or Prairie, Fox Lake and Garden River — remain under evacuation orders as the out-of-control Semo Wildfire Complex, estimated to be more than 380 square miles (960 square kilometers) in size, burns nearby.

“The next 48 hours are quite critical,” Chief Conroy Sewepagaham said in a video update on Facebook.

“The bulldozer crews are going to be working 24/7. They’re going to do everything they can to extend Highway 58 to High Level and extend the northern portion of the highway to Garden River.”

According to Alberta Wildfire, the fire had reached Highway 58, the only road leaving Garden River, and was located eight miles northwest of the community as of Monday afternoon.

Residents of the northern communities of Chipewyan Lake and Janvier 194 have also been ordered to leave.

More than 160 wildfires are burning in Alberta, sending smoke clouds darkening the sky and posing health risks.

However, there is so much smoke that wildfires are shielded from the sun and daytime temperatures are lower than forecast in some areas, resulting in less fire activity.

“As the smoke clears, we can expect to see more and more intense fire activity due to the expected continued warm and dry weather,” Alberta Wildfire said in an update Monday.

According to Environment Canada, cooler temperatures are expected in northwestern parts of the province starting Monday evening, though warm conditions further south could persist for much of the week.