Visitors, campers and residents of Jasper National Park were told to get out late Monday night as high temperatures and winds fanned the flames of a wildfire threatening the national park in western Alberta.
An Alberta Emergency Alert issued just before 10 p.m. MT and updated afterwards said there is a wildfire south of town.
An evacuation order has been issued for both the Jasper townsite and the rest of the national park.
Everyone in Jasper and Jasper National Park must evacuate now, the alert said, as the the fire is coming towards the community and is expected to reach the community in five hours, or around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
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People in Jasper were told to head west on Highway 16/the Yellowhead towards British Columbia.
511 Alberta said Parks Canada has close both Highway 16 east of the Jasper townsite towards Alberta, and the Highway 93 Icefields Partkway between Kerkeslin Campground and Athabasca Falls due the fire.
Bring identification, important documents, medication, pets and your emergency kit with you, the emergency alert said.
Anyone needing a ride out of Jasper is asked to go to the Activity Centre, Forest Park Hotel or Maligne Lodge.
The Municipality of Jasper also declared a State of Emergency due to the wildfire.
Earlier in the evening, Parks Canada said fire crews and the Jasper Fire Department were responding to a wildfire around the transfer station, located approximately nine kilometres northeast of the Jasper townsite.
— This is a breaking news story. More to come…
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