Today in the news: Evacuation ordered for Jasper Park and the city

Below is a collection of stories from The Canadian Press, designed to keep you informed…

Evacuation ordered for Jasper Park and the city

Several wildfires raged in Jasper National Park on Monday evening, forcing all visitors to the park and the 4,700 residents of Jasper to flee westward, unnoticed, along mountain roads through darkness, soot and ash.

Photos and videos shared on social media show a midnight procession of bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks, headlights on, taillights glowing red, cars slowing, stopping, starting and crawling through swirling wisps of acrid smoke.

Jasper town—and the park’s main east-west artery, Highway 16—were caught in a fiery pincer. Fires raging from the northeast blocked highway access east to Edmonton.

Another fire raging from the south forced the closure of the north-south Icefields Parkway, leaving one route open — west to B.C.

Park and city officials were busy trying to clear traffic congestion, find fuel for vehicles, get vulnerable people to safety while mobilizing resources to fight the fires.

Here’s what else we’re looking at…

Storms approaching as British Columbia wildfires intensify

According to the BC Wildfire Service, a significant change in weather could lead to more wildfires. Environment Canada is warning of severe thunderstorms in several parts of the province after weeks of warm, dry weather.

According to the service, thousands of lightning strikes were reported in the northern part of the province over the weekend, with more lightning expected in several regions. In addition, severe storms may occur, possibly accompanied by gusts of wind, hailstones the size of pennies and heavy rainfall.

Conditions in the southern part of the province remain warm and dry, the agency said. More than 350 fires are burning in British Columbia, four of which are classified as “notable wildfires.”

According to Environment Canada, heat warnings are still in effect for a number of communities, where daytime temperatures have hovered above 30 degrees. However, temperatures are expected to drop in the coming days.

The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation says non-essential travel to the interior is also discouraged due to increased wildfire activity. The ministry warns of possible highway closures and delays.

LCBO stores reopen across Ontario

Hundreds of liquor stores in Ontario are reopening today, following a strike that led to the closure of the stores in early July.

About 10,000 employees of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario returned to work Monday to prepare for the opening of nearly 700 stores after walking off the job July 5.

In addition to the reopened stores, the LCBO says there will also be no limits on online orders, although it could take up to three weeks for an online order to be delivered.

Smaller bars and restaurants saw their alcohol supplies dwindle as the strike lasted two weeks.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents LCBO workers, said the labour dispute was primarily over Premier Doug Ford’s plan to allow supermarkets and convenience stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails, which they said would put their jobs at risk.

How is Toronto becoming flood-proof?

Toronto city councillors, who last week oversaw a city full of flooded train stations, roads and basements, will discuss how to make the metropolis more resilient to climate-induced flooding.

Mayor Olivia Chow’s motion, set to be introduced at Wednesday’s City Council meeting, is expected to spark discussion about flood mitigation efforts. The motion, which acknowledges how climate change has made flood-causing storms more intense and frequent, asks city staff to look at what discontinued programs can be revived, what is already working and what more can be done.

Toronto and most other major cities in Canada face a major challenge, experts say.

According to a 2019 federal assessment, Canada could experience one rainstorm every 10 years by the end of the century if fossil fuels that cause global warming continue to be burned on a large scale.

In Toronto, extreme rainstorms could cause a 30 percent increase in rainfall by 2080, a recent report from the city found.

Accused to testify in Coutts conspiracy case

The trial of two men accused of conspiring to murder mounted police at the Coutts border blockade in Alberta is expected to include more testimony from one of the accused today.

Chris Carbert has told the court he took weapons and bulletproof vests to the blockade. However, he says there was no violence involved, except perhaps when he had to flee to the mountains to fend off someone trying to give him a COVID-19 vaccination.

Carbert and Anthony Olienick are on trial together before a jury in King’s Bench Court in Lethbridge.

The two were charged after police made arrests and seized weapons at the blockade in early 2022.

Protests against COVID-19 rules and vaccination requirements caused two weeks of traffic congestion at the Alberta-US border crossing in Coutts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press