Rain and cool weather ease Jasper fires

Rain and cool temperatures have brought relief to firefighters battling a fast-moving blaze that could have destroyed half the historic Canadian town of Jasper.

According to Jasper National Park, weather could help contain the fires over the next 72 hours.

About 10-15 mm (0.4-0.5 inches) of rain fell on the national park on Thursday night as fire crews used the opportunity to extinguish the bushfire and limit its spread.

But officials said the fire was not yet under control and the relief was only temporary as the weather turned warmer and drier than forecast.

Wildfire activity has “significantly decreased” due to changing weather, park officials said in an update.

Entire streets were flattened by the blaze in the Alberta town, with video released Wednesday showing smoldering rubble where homes once stood.

Jasper National Park reported late Thursday night local time that the most significant structural damage caused by the fire was located west of town.

Firefighters have prevented “significant” damage to the east of the town.

Officials were able to confirm that critical infrastructure was protected, including hospitals, public schools, operations centers and wastewater treatment plants.

The park said “several homes and businesses were lost” as well as several bridges in town and throughout the park.

About 36,000 hectares (89,000 acres) of land have been affected so far.

There have been no reports of deaths or injuries so far, with officials crediting early evacuation efforts.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith broke down in tears at a news conference Thursday as she detailed the damage, but said “it’s likely 30 to 50 per cent” of buildings were destroyed.

Ms Smith became visibly emotional as she described the beauty of the park and what it meant to the community, which relies heavily on tourism. About 2.5 million people visit the park and nearby Banff National Park each year.

More than 20,000 tourists and 5,000 residents left the park and town – popular tourist destinations – earlier this week.

Hundreds of firefighters from around the world have been deployed to help respond.

Officials on Thursday described the fire as a “monster”, with flames reaching 100m (328ft) high in some places and moving very quickly.

On Wednesday, winds pushed the lightning-caused fire 5km (3 miles) to the town in less than 30 minutes.

In British Columbia, the province that borders Alberta to the west, more than 400 wildfires have burned and dozens of evacuation orders have been issued.

In the United States, more than 3,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in the state of California due to the Park Fire, which is still raging out of control.

The states of Oregon, Montana and Utah also continue to face wildfires.

The total number of fires has decreased worldwide over the past two decades.

But researchers say climate change could cause more lightning to occur in forests in the northern hemisphere, increasing the risk of wildfires.