Washington, 20 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Hundreds of wildfires are currently raging across Canada, with over 800 active fires, 223 of which are out of control, according to the latest report from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) dated Monday.

Scientists note that this year's fires are unusually widespread, affecting regions from the West Coast to the Atlantic provinces in the east and northern Canada.

The flames have also affected the tourist hotspot Jasper National Park in western Canada, where fires have been burning for weeks.

Due to the wildfire activity, the national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, is currently closed to visitors, the park's website stated.

All camping reservations up to September 3 have been cancelled. The fires have affected an area of more than 33,000 hectares.

Following an evacuation order almost a month ago, residents were only able to return to the town of Jasper last Friday for the first time.

Nearly a third of the town's structure has been destroyed by the fires. Photos showed entire residential areas consumed by the flames.

In addition to the rubble of houses, burnt-out cars and charred trees were visible. "It feels like you’re part of an apocalypse or a war zone," a resident was quoted as saying.

Last year, Canada was hit by wildfires on an unprecedented scale. It was the most destructive ever recorded, according to Natural Resources Canada.

By the end of 2023, more than 6,000 fires had burned about 15 million hectares of land, an area larger than England. Typically, Canada loses around 2.5 million hectares annually to wildfires.

Given climate change, experts warn that fires are becoming more frequent and destructive.

MIA file photo