He arrived in the city of Jasper from Canadathe massive wildfire that has been raging for days as the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia battle a raging conflagration – hundreds of fires still described as uncontrollable.
The city has been evacuated for days anyway.
Firefighters are battling to save critical infrastructure from the flames, particularly an oil pipeline, authorities said.
Wildfires have reached 433 in British Columbia and 176 in Alberta; more than 10 are burning in the tar sands oil hub of Fort McMurray.
Canada: New wildfires in the West – Jasper National Forest in danger
Up to 890,000 barrels of oil
The Trans Mountain Pipeline, which can carry up to 890,000 barrels oil from Edmonton to Vancouver, it runs through a national park in the Canadian Rockies, near Jasper, where 25,000 people have been forced to evacuate since Monday.
Firefighters are “working to save as many buildings as possible and protect critical infrastructure such as a wastewater treatment plant, telecommunications facilities (and) the Trans Mountain Pipeline,” Canada’s national parks service said via Facebook.
Rapidly deteriorating air quality forced civilians and firefighters without breathing apparatus to evacuate the town of Hinton, about 60 miles (100 km) away, the agency added.
However, authorities expected rain in some places in the coming hours, which could give firefighters breathing room.
Sources: Reuters, APE-MPE