JASPER, Alberta — Wildfires bearing down on the historic Jasper townsite reached its southern outskirts early Wednesday night as a last-ditch attempt to reroute it failed. Parks Canada reports ‘significant loss’ in the townsite as crews work to save as many structures as possible. The fire was reported to have reached the grounds of the iconic Jasper Park Lodge. Deteriorating air quality forced wildland firefighters and others without self-contained breathing apparatuses to evacuate to Hinton. People who have not left Jasper are told to do so immediately. …The largest fire is estimated to be among the largest in Jasper National Park’s history at 10,800 hectares in size and burning just eight kilometres from the town. Parks Canada officials Wednesday said the smaller, 270-hectare south wildfire moved four kilometres to the north overnight. …Rain is forecast for Wednesday but officials cautioned, “the rain doesn’t count until it’s on the ground.”
Related by the Associated Press: Fast-moving wildfire in the Canadian Rockies’ largest national park hits the town of Jasper