Dutch evacuated from forest fires in Canada's Rocky Mountains
Dozens of forest fires have been raging for days in the Rocky Mountains, a mountain range partly located in Canada. Some 25,000 people—residents and tourists—have been evacuated from Jasper National Park, including several Dutch. According to first estimates, 30 to 50 percent of the village of Jasper has been destroyed, NOS reports.
Dutch woman Jet van den Boom and her family were among the thousands of people who had to rush out of the village on Monday evening. “We received a text message from the Canadian government around 10:00 p.m. with the message to leave as soon as possible,” Van den Boom told NOS. “Within 15 minutes, we had packed our things and left by car.” Still, it took hours to get out of the village. “Everyone wanted to leave as quickly as possible. In 3.5 hours, we only covered 5 kilometers.”
The evacuation went relatively smoothly despite the traffic jams, Van den Boom said. “Fortunately, the emergency call came in time because, from the car, we saw the fire and dark smoke quickly approaching.” Van den Boom is shocked by images from the devastated village. “According to my uncle, who lives in Canada, we were one of the last to see the town in its original state.”
Jan Diebels was also on holiday in Jasper with his family. The evacuation call caught them off guard. “The children were in bed, and my wife and I were just planning to go to sleep,” Diebels said. “Because two of the three access roads to and from Jasper were closed, the traffic jam to leave the town was incredibly long.”
After Diebels and his family had safely left the village, they drove through the night to a safer location. “There were parked cars along the roads of people who had fled the village and were forced to spend the night in their cars.”
Premier Danielle Smit of Alberta, which covers Jasper, called the fires and destruction “the worst nightmare for any community.” Up to half of the village is in ashes. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that the government would provide every kind of assistance. “Alberta, we are with you.”
The Jasper National Park website states that all residents, visitors, and emergency workers left the area safely. Some rain fell overnight, but it did not have enough effect, and the forest fires are still out of control, the park said. It will remain closed until further notice. Visitors who booked a stay until August 6 will get a refund.
