Pictures show devastation caused by Canadian wildfires

Fierce wildfires that have swept through the Canadian town of Jasper in recent days have melted cars on the road and reduced homes to ash.

The first images of the damage to the popular tourist town emerged late Wednesday after a 100 m (328 ft) firewall swept through.

As the fires spiraled out of control for several days, it’s difficult to grasp the scale of what happened.

About 25,000 people were evacuated from towns in Alberta and Jasper National Park.

On Friday, Jasper National Park authorities said 358 of the town’s 1,113 structures were destroyed by fires sparked by thunderstorms.

However, all critical infrastructure is protected, including hospitals, libraries and fire stations.

Authorities said a list of addresses with damaged buildings was being finalized and would be released “soon.”

Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland, a local who knows he has lost his home, returned to the town Friday with other officials.

“It’s okay now,” he said, standing in front of his home, where only a few charred cement blocks remain. “It’s just the memory of family and fire.”

Mr Ireland spoke of a burned photo of himself as a two-year-old sitting on some moving boxes next to a birthday cake in the house. He has lived at the same address for 67 years.

“A lot of people will go through the same thing,” he told local media.

New images show extensive damage to the popular tourist town nestled in the famed Canadian Rockies.

It was so hot that part of the car turned into a puddle of metal, dripping onto the road like silver ice cream on a hot day.

Other photos show the twisted remains of cars stacked on top of each other, as well as a school bus that is now black with only a hint of its signature yellow left.

Hotels and a church were destroyed, along with many homes.

At this stage, authorities are cautious about confirming the situation has been quelled.

“We sympathize with residents and businesses seeking more specific details on the extent of the damage,” an update from authorities said.

“We know people see images in the media and on social media, but what we know about fire incidents is that getting the right information is critical.”

Firefighters are now taking advantage of cooler weather and recent rainfall.

They contain remaining hot spots in smoldering buildings and around wildfire perimeters closest to towns.

But winds are expected to pick up, with hot and dry conditions forecast for Monday.

Located just north of the more popular Banff National Park, Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to elk, grizzly bears, moose and bison.

The neighboring town of Jasper has a population of about 5,000 but has dozens of restaurants to accommodate the approximately 2.5 million people who pass through the park each year.

Karyn Decore, whose family has owned the historic Maligne Lodge for more than 60 years, has been receiving condolences from across the country since learning the lodge was destroyed when a fire swept through town .

Ms Decol said her now-destroyed hotel was usually 100 per cent occupied between May and October each year. At present, all tourists and staff have been evacuated, and we don’t know when they will be able to return.

Park officials estimate that a two-week power outage in the town last year cost local businesses around C$10 million ($7.2 million; £5.6 million) in lost revenue.

It remains to be seen how long it will take to restore the resort town and its pristine ecology that makes this majestic park the pride of Canada.

At the same time, there are currently 48 wildfires “out of control” around Alberta.