Thousands of residents and tourists have fled the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies after authorities warned wildfires were fast approaching, raising fears of another record fire season in the country.
Jasper National Park said early on Tuesday that “multiple wildfires” were burning in the park, located about 370km (230 miles) west of Edmonton in the western province of Alberta.
Photos and videos shared on social media overnight showed a line of bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks crawling through smoke to try to get out of the park and the town of Jasper, home to 4,700 residents.
In April, federal officials said Canada risked another “catastrophic” wildfire season amid higher-than-normal spring and summer temperatures across much of the country.
A heat wave descended last week, accentuating drought conditions and several wildfires broke out.
The new blazes have prompted worries that the country could see another brutal wildfire season like last year’s record summer, which forced evacuations across the country and sent massive plumes of smoke into the United States.
More than 6,600 wildfires burned 15 million hectares (37 million acres) across Canada last year, an area roughly seven times the annual average.
Experts have said that climate change has extended the Canadian wildfire season and made it easier for blazes to start and spread.
About 170 fires were burning across Alberta on Tuesday, according to official figures, with about a third still uncontrolled.
Jasper National Park and town officials have scrambled to clear up traffic gridlock, find fuel for vehicles and help vulnerable people get to safety while marshalling resources to battle the fires.
