Falling temperatures and rain are expected to help firefighters continue to battle today’s giant wildfire, which has destroyed part of the western tourist town of Jasper. Canadaas announced by the authorities.

The city is located in the heart of Jasper National Park, Canada’s largest, which is known for its mountains, lakes and waterfalls, which attract 2.5 million visitors each year.

30-50% of the city was destroyed by this fire which is still considered “out of control” and which has already burned more than 360,000 acres.

“Temperatures dropped and the rain started shortly after midnight,” reports Mr Parks Canada in its most recent update.

That rain is expected to halt the fire’s progress for the next 72 hours, said the agency, which manages Canada’s national parks and coordinates the fight against wildfires in the region.

The army is expected to send reinforcements, while 400 foreign firefighters from New ZealandMexico and South Africa will move into the region.

There are no deaths or injuries from the fire. The 25,000 residents and tourists who were in the area were evacuated on the night of Monday to Tuesday, when the fire grew in no time, taking firefighters by surprise.

The fire was sparked by lightning on Monday afternoon, according to Parcs Canada, which said flames reached a height of more than 100 metres. Meanwhile, gusty winds blowing through the area Wednesday afternoon caused the fire to spread 5 kilometers in less than 30 minutes, said Mike Ellis, Alberta’s minister of public safety and emergency services.

It will take “weeks” to bring the fire under control, according to authorities.

Fires have broken out in recent days after lightning struck drought-stricken western Canada. In total, in the province of Alberta, more than 170 fronts remain active.

British Columbia, which borders Alberta, is also being hit by wildfires, with more than 400 active fronts right now, more than half of which are burning out of control. In the last 24 hours, 56 fires have broken out.