Video shows widespread destruction caused by wildfire in Jasper

[Spazito]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/wildfire-that-roared-into-jasper-was-a-wall-of-fast-moving-flame-says-fire-official-1.7274825

A wildfire that roared into the community of Jasper, Alta., late Wednesday has left vast stretches of the townsite incinerated.

Video shared to social media on Thursday shows blocks upon blocks of buildings have been levelled by fire.

The video, taken from inside a truck, shows a view of a community forever changed.

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"We are seeing potentially 30 to 50 per cent structural damage," Smith said.

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"Fire crews were witnessing 300- to 400-foot flames in a fully involved, continuous crown fire and a fire spread rate of approximately 15 metres per minute."


more

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/wildfire-that-roared-into-jasper-was-a-wall-of-fast-moving-flame-says-fire-official-1.7274825


I am devastated by the news, I absolutely love Jasper, know some of the workers who live in Jasper and work at Maligne Lake. I am so worried about them and sad for the loss within the city.

[underpants]

1. I had not heard of this at all until last night

My brother in law and his wife are going near there on a 2-3 week vacation. He’s retired.

[Spazito]

2. It is awful...

They are still trying to save structures an Jasper but much of it has already been lost. The Park is closed now and I'm not sure when it will reopen. Outside of the fire that is destroying the city of Jasper, there is a fire around the Columbia Ice Fields as well.

If they are planning to go to Jasper National Park, here's a link you can give them to check on to see when it might open again. At this point it is closed until at least August 6th at this point.

Link to Jasper National Park page:

https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper

[underpants]

5. Sounds like it. We just missed the huge fire near Dollywood in 2016

Ironically coming back from my brother in law’s. The whole Pigeon Forge area went up just a couple days after we’d driven through.

My BIL has state or fed land adjacent to his. There was an open hunting weekend and someone was up in a tree stand very near his property. He’s an expert hunter but he knows that there are some real dumbasses out there. To scare the guy off he took his tractor and cut the grass near where this guy was. Scare off wildlife so he’d leave. It was so dry my father in law had to go with him with two massive water containers in case the chain on the mower shit a rock and there were sparks.

[Spazito]

6. That was an excellent idea re cutting the grass...

and the precaution of having water containers on hand. I hope it worked in moving the shooter away from his home.

[True Dough]

3. "There's Mom and Dad's house."

How sad for everyone affected. The West is on fire every summer now. It's just a question of how many communities will be devasted. Jasper is much more high profile than some of the smaller places from past summers.

[Spazito]

4. Northern BC and Alberta are on fire again this year...

Many evacuations from those areas as well. It's beyond heartbreaking.

[Xoan]

7. Awful ...

one of my favorite places in the world.