Sylvie Claire / August 22, 2024
More than 800 forest fires are currently raging in Canada, 223 of which are out of control, according to the latest report from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) dated Monday. The flames have also affected Jasper National Park, one of western Canada's most popular tourist destinations, where fires have been raging for weeks.
Due to the fires, the Unesco World Heritage-listed national park in Canada's Rocky Mountains is closed to visitors. All camping reservations have been cancelled until September 3. The flames have devastated an area of over 33,000 hectares.
After receiving an evacuation order nearly a month ago, residents were only able to return to the town of Jasper last Friday. Nearly a third of the town's structure was destroyed by the fires. Photos show entire residential areas consumed by flames. In addition to the ruins of homes, charred cars and charred trees were visible. “It feels like a war zone or apocalypse,” said one resident.
Last year, Canada was hit by forest fires on an unprecedented scale. Experts predict that, given climate change, fires will become more frequent and more destructive.