Jasper National Park, townsite under evacuation order amid wildfire

Jasper town officials working with Parks Canada, RCMP to evacuate residents, manage traffic

Wildfire burning south of town forces closure of Icefields Parkway, other major routes

An evacuation order has been issued for the town of Jasper and anyone within Jasper National Park as a result of a wildfire burning south of the town.

Jasper town officials said in a Facebook post just after 1 a.m. that they were working with Parks Canada to deal with a number of issues including the traffic. The town has a population of around 5,000 but there can be as many as 12,000 seasonal workers there every year.

Jasper National Park is one of the Canadian Rockies' most popular tourist destinations, and is home to the Columbia Icefield and the Athabasca Glacier.

An Evacuation Order has been issued for the Town of Jasper, the Alberta Emergency Alert read, which was issued just before 10 p.m.

The wildfire is burning south of the town, and is currently out of control. The fire is approximately 10 kilometres long and five kilometres wide.

The Icefields Parkway, which is the main highway through the park, has been closed in both directions. Other major routes in the area have also been closed.

Parks Canada is asking people to avoid the area and to follow the instructions of local authorities.

The wildfire is the latest in a series of wildfires that have been burning in Alberta in recent weeks. The province is currently under a fire ban.