Despite rain showers and falling temperatures, the fires in western Canada are spreading. More than 375,000 hectares of land in the province of Alberta have now been engulfed in flames and more than 29,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, authorities announced Sunday afternoon (local time).
Thirty-one of the 108 active wildfires are still not under control. On Saturday evening, the province of Alberta had declared a state of emergency. This will free up federal resources to fight the flames.
Recent rains have aided firefighting efforts, said Christie Tucker, head of the Alberta Wildfire Protection Authority. “It’s given firefighters the chance to work on some fires they couldn’t get to before.” Tucker said cooler temperatures and higher humidity are also expected for the next few days. She also asked for help from the neighboring US state of Montana.
More than 360 fires this year
The extent of the damage could not yet be estimated, authorities added. Authorities say there have been more than 360 fires since January. That is an unusually high number, considering that May has only just begun.
In view of climate change, experts warn that the frequency and intensity of wildfires will increase. In the prairie provinces in the west of the country, average temperatures have risen by 1.9 degrees Celsius since the mid-20th century, according to Canada’s Office of Environment and Climate Change.
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