Hundreds of wildfires are raging across Canada

Photo: Pixabay

Earlier in the week one of the fires approached the town of Jasper and despite the best efforts of firefighters burned many buildings there. Several thousand firefighters are fighting the fires in Canada and firefighters from Australia and Alaska were also called in to help. Some of the fires were extinguished by strong thunderstorms but in other places lightning re-ignited the fires. Over the past two weeks 60,000 lightning strikes have sparked new fires in Canada.

The state-owned Trans Mountain Pipeline also passes through Jasper National Park which is threatened by the flames. Firefighters used sprinklers to protect him. Firefighters are recording 400 fires in British Columbia and 176 in the neighboring province of Alberta. If the forecast comes true the situation should improve in the coming days as up to 20 millimeters of rain should fall here.

By far the worst damage was done by the fire in the town of Jasper. The flames burned the homes of many of the evacuated residents. The biggest damage is recorded in the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge complex. Most residents were moved to an evacuation center in Edmonton.

Numerous fires have significantly reduced air quality in the Canadian Rockies and smoke has enveloped even distant cities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that his government has already approved a request for federal aid in the province of Alberta.

The heat waves also affected the neighboring USA and firefighters here are fighting many fires in the territory of the states of California and Utah. The National Weather Service has issued heat warnings for California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington since early July.