Forest fires are on the increase in Western Canada, particularly in Alberta where nearly 25,000 people have had to flee their homes.
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During its last report on Saturday evening, the Forest Fire Fighting Service reported 110 active blazes, including 37 deemed out of control. To date, more than 350,000 hectares have been ravaged, service spokeswoman Christie Tucker told the Edmonton Journal.
As a result of these fires, the approximately 8,500 residents of the town of Edson, 200 km west of Edmonton, were evacuated.
Alberta declared a state of emergency across the province on Saturday to provide more resources to authorities responsible for fighting fires and managing evacuations.
For its part, British Columbia had around sixty fires underway on Sunday morning, mostly located near the border with Alberta.
The fires, which spread quickly through the brush, are fueled by the hot, dry weather.
The next heat wave, which is expected next weekend, could make the situation worse. We can also expect to see strong winds in the region which will facilitate the spread of the fires, in addition to drying out the vegetation.
Health risks
In addition to the environmental damage, Environment Canada has issued a special air quality bulletin in the areas affected by the fires.
“As a result of smoke from wildfires, air quality and visibility can change over short distances and vary significantly from hour to hour. Smoke from forest fires can be harmful to everyone’s health, even if the concentrations are low,” noted the federal organization, offering advice on reducing exposure to smoke.
In addition, SOPFEU sent 32 wildland firefighters and two reinforcement representatives to Alberta. Quebec, unlike the western province, is having a very quiet start to the wildfire season, with the province rather busy battling flooding.