JASPER, ALTA. –
Alberta’s Jasper National Park and its townsite are under siege from two wind-whipped wildfires, one of which raced into the picturesque community on Wednesday night, causing extensive damage.
Parks Canada says the fire has caused significant losses within the town, and the social media account for Fairmont’s famous Jasper Park Lodge says the flames had reached the hotel’s grounds.
As the fire consumed more fuel, officials said the air quality dropped to dangerous levels, prompting fire crews without breathing apparatus to flee to the nearby community of Hinton.
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Jasper, a postcard-perfect mountain town, is famous for hiking, skiing, kayaking and biking. It is also home to dozens of species such as elk, mountain goats, cougars, lynx, black bears and grizzly bears. The United Nations designated the parks that make up the Canadian Rockies, including Jasper, a World Heritage …