KATHMANDU: On Wednesday, a wildfire reached Jasper, Alberta, as part of a bigger catastrophe affecting Canada's western provinces. The blaze is one of hundreds of wildfires raging throughout Alberta and British Columbia. There are 433 active wildfires in British Columbia, while Alberta is battling 176, including more than a dozen near Fort McMurray, a vital oil sands sector.
The Trans Mountain Pipeline, which moves up to 890,000 barrels of oil per day from Edmonton to Vancouver, is one example of the vital infrastructure that firefighters are carefully attempting to safeguard. Around 25,000 residents of Jasper National Park, a well-liked tourist destination, had to be evacuated on Tuesday because of the pipeline. The wastewater treatment plant and communication facilities are among the most important structures to save.
The pipeline operator, which did not immediately comment, previously assured that the pipeline was operating safely and had implemented sprinkler systems as a precaution. Jasper National Park has yet to publish specific damage or updates on the wildfire's impact, but it is anticipated to do so soon.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared federal aid to Alberta, which includes the deployment of Canadian Armed Forces, evacuation help, and coordination of firefighting and airlift resources. The town and the national park, which receives over two million tourists each year, were evacuated earlier this week as worsening air quality forced additional evacuations to the nearby town of Hinton. Rain is expected to fall overnight, which could assist to put out the fires, says Parks Canada.
.jpg)