Wildfires have spread across parts of Canada and the United States, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
In the Alberta town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies, authorities warned of a “wall of fire” as flames reached 100 meters (328 feet) high and spread three miles (5 kilometers) in less than 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in California, a man was arrested on suspicion of starting a wildfire near Chico after he allegedly pushed a burning car into a ravine.
Combined, the fires have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
A house on fire near Chico, California. Photo: Reuters
‘The worst nightmare‘
Alberta is facing about 176 wildfires, 50 of which are out of control, and Jasper is among the hardest hit areas.
The bushfires potentially destroyed 50% of the popular tourist town’s structures, as firefighters battled to save as many buildings as possible.
Jasper attracts more than two million tourists a year and was evacuated on Monday, with authorities estimating there were up to 10,000 people in the city and another 15,000 visitors in the park.
“There is no denying that this is the worst nightmare for any community,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told reporters, fighting back tears.
“We’re looking at potentially 30% to 50% structural damage…that will be a significant rebuild,” he said.
Alberta premier cries during wildfire update
In addition to sending emergency teams from across the country, Canada will also receive a total of 400 firefighters from Mexico, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in the coming days.
In April, the federal government warned that a combination of high temperatures and dry forests could create tinderbox conditions for a potentially catastrophic year of wildfires.
The fire in Jasper was caused by lightning and fueled by strong winds, according to Parks Canada.
The fire’s flames grew and Wednesday’s strong winds pushed the fire several kilometers in less than half an hour, according to Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis.
“Any firefighter will tell you that there is little or nothing you can do when faced with a wall of flames like that,” he said.
A wildfire near Jasper, Alberta. Photo: AP
“A big, big problem”
Hundreds of miles away in California, a man was arrested on suspicion of starting a wildfire.
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said in a statement that the suspect was taken into custody after being identified as the person seen pushing a burning car into a ravine Wednesday afternoon.
The vehicle was allegedly responsible for causing what is called the Park Fire.
Firefighters battle the Park Fire in California. Photo: Reuters
Photo: AP
Horses are evacuated during the park fire. Photo: AP
It spread overnight from about 1,400 acres (567 hectares) on Wednesday near Chico, California, to about 125,000 acres (50,585 hectares) on Thursday afternoon.
The 42-year-old man was detained by arson investigators and will appear in court on Monday.
The glow from the park fire is seen along Cohasset Road near Chico. Photo: Reuters
An animal runs across the grass fleeing from the park fire. Photo: AP
As of Thursday afternoon, the park fire was only 3% contained, authorities said, but no injuries had been reported.
More than 4,000 people were evacuated in Butte County and the city of Chico, said Megan McMann, spokeswoman for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
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Tim Fike, Forest Service incident commander at the Gold Complex, said strong winds were buffeting Park Fire crews, sparking new spot fires up to a mile beyond the main fire lines.
“That’s been a big issue on the Park Fire right now,” Fike said.
The remains of a structure destroyed by the park fire. Photo: Reuters
Firefighters monitor fires near Forest Ranch, California. Photo: Reuters
The largest wildfire in the US is Oregon’s Durkee Fire, which has burned nearly 270,000 acres (109 hectares).
Smoke rises from a wildfire near Durkee, Oregon. Photo: Brett Brown/USDA Forest Service via AP
According to local media, it has threatened multiple small towns, killed hundreds of cattle and destroyed ranch land.
The fire, about 100 miles northwest of Boise, Idaho, was 20% contained Thursday afternoon.
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