Canadian Fire Outbreak Triggers Ongoing Response Efforts
Wildfires are raging across Canada’s Alberta province, with crews fighting blazes at 78 different points. In the Little Red River Cree Nation region, Fox Lake has been particularly hard hit, with 4,400 hectares of land turned to ash. The fires have been battled with both ground and air support, but still managed to render around 20 homes unusable and force 3,700 people from their residences. Meanwhile, a forest fire in the southeast of the Drayton Valley region has burned 1,500 hectares of land, forcing 7,200 people to evacuate. Currently, 19 of the 78 active fires are out of control.
As of a press conference held by Alberta Wildfire manager Christie Tucker, since January 1, 348 forest fires have occurred, and more than 25,000 hectares of land have been burned. Crews are continuing to fight the flames to get them under control.
The impact of the wildfires is a reminder of just how destructive nature can be. Authorities are urging citizens to take all necessary precautions, and to prepare for potential evacuations as the threat of fires continues. It is hoped that the combined efforts of firefighters and emergency personnel will be able to contain the fires and keep further damage to a minimum.
