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Alberta Premier Holds Back Tears as Wildfires Rage

STORY: DANIELLE SMITH: “To everyone in Alberta and around the world who has experienced the magic of Jasper … The magic is not lost and never will be.” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith choked back tears during a news conference on Thursday as she described the impact of a raging wildfire that has devastated the western Canadian tourist town of Jasper. “We’re looking at potentially 30 to 50 per cent structural damage … We don’t know exactly what structures are damaged and what structures are destroyed. But that’s going to mean significant rebuilding and significant displacement for a long period of time.” Jasper is located in the heart of Alberta’s mountainous Jasper National Park. The town and park, which draw more than 2 million tourists a year, were evacuated on Monday as officials estimated there were up to 10,000 people in the town and another 15,000 visitors in the park. A major concern for emergency responders is whether the fire will damage the Trans Mountain oil pipeline, which carries hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil a day from Edmonton to Vancouver. Christie Tucker, manager of the Alberta Wildfire Information Unit: “There are 176 wildfires burning in Alberta’s protected forests, 54 of which are out of control, 50 of which are contained and 69 of which are contained…” Parks Canada said the Jasper fire was sparked by a lightning strike Monday afternoon and fanned by high winds. Environment Canada is forecasting rain for Thursday, which could help firefighters. The Jasper fire could be one of the most destructive in Alberta since a 2016 blaze that tore through the oil city of Fort McMurray, killing all 90,000 residents and destroying 10 per cent of the city’s buildings.