Despite the rains and falling temperatures, wildfires are spreading across western Canada. Meanwhile, more than 375,000 hectares of land burned in the province of Alberta and more than 29,000 people had to leave their homes, authorities said yesterday afternoon (local time). 31 of the 108 active wildfires are out of control.
Portal/Alberta Wildfire
The province of Alberta declared a state of emergency on Saturday night due to the extent of the fire. This will allow federal funds to be released to fight the flames. The area burned so far is about a quarter the size of Schleswig-Holstein.
The extent of damage cannot yet be estimated, officials said. Colin Blair, director of the Alberta Civil Protection Agency, said protecting lives and dealing with emergencies was a priority, according to broadcaster CBC.
Exceptionally high number of fires
According to authorities, there have been more than 360 fires since January. This is an exceptionally high number given that May has just begun. In 2016, Alberta had already suffered major fires, at the time more than 2,400 buildings were destroyed.
In the face of climate change, experts warn of an increase in the frequency and intensity of forest fires. In the western prairie provinces of the country, the average temperature has increased by 1.9 degrees Celsius since the mid-20th century, according to Canada’s Agency for Environment and Climate Change.