Jasper National Park under wildfire threat. How far is it from safe zones?

Alberta’s famous Jasper National Park has been shut down and evacuations are underway amid raging wildfires threatening residents and visitors.

The evacuation order, issued Monday night, for almost 4,700 residents and all visitors covers the town of Jasper and the rest of the national park.

Everyone in Jasper was told to pack up and flee west by 3 a.m. Tuesday towards neighbouring British Columbia using Highway 16.

Jasper is located in the Alberta Rockies and spreads across roughly 11,228 square kilometres.

The nearest town to Jasper is Hinton, Alta., which is about 77 kilometres by road.

In B.C., Valemount is the closest village to Jasper, at a driving distance of about 124 kilometres.

From Alberta’s most populous cities, Calgary and Edmonton, Jasper National Park is 403 kilometres and 365 kilometres away, respectively.

Everyone in Jasper has been ordered to head west on Highway 16 toward B.C.

For assistance, people can go to the Jasper Activity Centre at 303 Bonhomme St.

In B.C., a welcome centre has been set up at Valemount Community Hall at 101 Gorse Street.

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Evacuees can also stop for shelter at Robson Valley Community Centre at 441 Columbia St., McBride and the CN Centre in Prince George, located at 2187 Ospika Blvd. S.

In Alberta, reception centres for Jasper evacuees are being set up in Grande Prairie and Calgary.

Jasper National Park is Canada’s largest park in the Rocky Mountains and second largest dark sky preserve in the world.

Home to campgrounds, extensive trail networks, waterfalls and deep canyons, Jasper is one of Alberta’s top tourist destinations along with Banff National Park.

Surrounded by mountain peaks, Jasper National Park is also a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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