The wildfire threatening Canada’s historic town of Jasper has quadrupled in size to more than 36,000 hectares and damaged up to half of the structures in town as of Friday. No deaths have been reported, but at least 5,000 residents and 20,000 tourists in Alberta province have been displaced by the blazes. “There is no denying that this is the worst nightmare for any community,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said tearfully at a press conference on Thursday as she described the damage to Jasper and its famed national park.
Jasper National Park is the largest park in the Canadian Rockies and the second-largest dark sky preserve (an area where there is almost zero light pollution, creating ideal conditions for astronomy and stargazing) in the world. Jasper is one of a half-dozen Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks to be declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984. “With rugged mountain peaks, ice fields, and glaciers, alpine meadows, lakes, waterfalls, extensive karst cave systems, thermal springs and deeply incised canyons, the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks possess exceptional natural beauty, attracting millions of visitors annually,” UNESCO noted in its designation.
Among the special features sought by visitors to Jasper National Park are its red Adirondack wooden chairs , placed by park management at the most beautiful and historic locations. “We share the sense of loss with all of those who live in the town, who care for it, and who have helped build it. And to those .