Thousands evacuated as Canada wildfire threatens energy pipelines and people's lifelines

The picturesque Canadian tourist town of Jasper, about 790 km north of Vancouver, has been engulfed in flames due to raging wildfire. A total of 25,000 residents have been evacuated as the blaze continued to ravage Jasper National Park.

The inferno is part of a larger crisis that has gripped Canada's western provinces of Alberta and British Columbia (BC). The British Columbia Wildfire Service has said that the surge in wildfires is due to over 58,000 lightning strikes in the past week followed by a three-week heat wave.

Approximately 1,900 firefighters from Alberta have been deployed to combat the blazes.

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Efforts are underway to protectcritical infrastructure, includingthe Trans Mountain Pipeline, a Canadian government-owned pipeline that traverses Jasper National Park. Sprinklers are being used to safeguard the pipeline, which remainedoperational as of Wednesday (July 24).

Jasper wildfire: What is the situation right now?

The wildfire situation is dire with more than 400 fires recorded in British Columbia and 176 in Alberta.

The fires first erupted in Jasper last week. Mayor Richard Ireland described the situation as the town's "worst nightmare" in an interview with CBC.

Jasper National Park officials warned on X that the air quality in the area has significantly deteriorated. The park, the largest in the Canadian Rockies, is facing unprecedented damage.

In response to the crisis, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith urged residents to evacuate safely in a Facebook post on Wednesday (July 24).

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced federal assistance for Alberta, including the deployment of federal Canadian resources and additional emergency wildfire support.

The wildfires in Jasper are part of a broader pattern of extreme weather impacting North America.

Several USstates, including California and Utah, have also been battling wildfires. The National Weather Service reports that over 30 million people in the United States have been under heat warnings since early July, affecting regions such as California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state.

(With inputs from agencies)