Jasper wildfire update: Rain diminishes activity, aids firefighters [Video]

11 p.m. MT: Rain keeps wildfire activity to ‘minimum’

Jasper National Park officials said in an update to their Facebook page Thursday night that rain over the day resulted in “minimal fire behaviour and spread.”

They said the Jasper Wildfire Complex — the north and much larger south fires combined on Wednesday, when the blaze reached the Town of Jasper — is now estimated to be 36,000 hectares.

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A third fire — Parks Canada has labelled it the Utopia wildfire, which started on Friday — is burning near the Miette Hot Springs, which is located close to the national park’s eastern border and sits about 35 kilometres northeast of the Jasper townsite and 35 kilometres southwest of Hinton.

Officials said the recent rain “will likely keep fire behaviour low for the next 72 hours,” allowing crews to work to reduce and suppress the wildfires.

— This is the final wildfire update of the day.

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