The devastation in the Canadian city of Jasper is now clear as the first images from within the city have been published after the large forest fire that forced 5,000 residents to leave their homes.
In total, around 25,000 people have been evacuated from the well-known tourist city.
The newly taken images show burnt-out cars and homes that have been transformed into ash. Entire neighborhoods, several hotels, and a church are among the buildings that have been consumed by the flames – which, according to eyewitnesses, swept through the city like a 100-meter-high wall of fire.
The heat was so intense that it melted cars, according to BBC.
Around 36,000 hectares of land are reported to have been affected by the fire. This corresponds to approximately half of the city of Jasper, which is located in the province of Alberta. The province has had high temperatures recently, and nearly 180 fires have raged across Alberta. Many of the fires started due to lightning strikes. On Saturday, 48 forest fires were still out of control in the province.
On Thursday, rain moved into the area, which helped firefighters keep the fires in check. But as early as Monday, the warm, dry weather is expected to return.
Jasper National Park was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1984, due to its magnificent mountain landscape. The national park is located in the Rocky Mountains.
