Thousands of people have been evacuated as huge, uncontrolled wildfires ravage large swathes of western Canada, with the country facing what could be another devastating fire season.
This week, residents of the small town of Fort Nelson in northeastern British Columbia were forced to abandon their homes when a fire grew “dramatically” in just a few days and advanced toward the community.
In the neighboring province of Alberta, authorities gave people in parts of Fort McMurray — a city in the heart of Canada’s oil sands region — about two hours to leave because of an approaching wildfire.
Canada had its most intense fire season on record last year, with hundreds of wildfires burning provinces and territories across the country in a crisis that experts say has been worsened by climate change.
Here’s everything you need to know about the current bushfires.
How many wildfires are burning in Canada?
More than 130 wildfires are currently burning across the country, according to a count by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC).
Of those, 40 were considered out of control as of Wednesday morning.
So far this year, Canada has experienced more than 1,000 wildfires that have burned approximately 336,000 hectares (830,000 acres) of land, the CIFFC found.
Where are the fires currently burning?
The majority of fires occur in British Columbia and Alberta, the CIFFC states on its website.
Others have also broken out in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, among other parts of the country.
Where were evacuation orders issued?
About 3,500 people were evacuated from Fort Nelson and Fort Nelson First Nation in northeastern British Columbia due to the Parker Lake wildfire. By Tuesday, the fire had grown to more than 8,400 hectares (20,700 acres).
On Tuesday afternoon, Alberta authorities also issued evacuation orders for the Abasand, Beacon Hill, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace areas of Fort McMurray.
The city itself, which was engulfed by a devastating fire in 2016, is currently under an “evacuation alert,” meaning residents must be ready to leave if an evacuation order is issued.
The Alberta Wildfire Agency said on Wednesday morning Favorable winds were expected to move the fire away from Fort McMurray as crews continue to work to contain the blaze.
However, people were also evacuated in parts of northern Manitoba in central Canada. An out-of-control wildfire near the small towns of Flin Flon and The Pas – near the province’s border with Saskatchewan – caused grew to 31,600 hectares (78,000 acres).
What is causing the wildfires?
Generally, wildfires in Canada are caused by lightning or human behavior.
Some of the fires currently burning in the country are known as “remnant fires”. The term refers to fires that continue to burn beneath the snow during the winter and reignite when temperatures rise in the spring.
Authorities said dry conditions and strong winds are driving the wildfires.
Ben Boghean, fire behavior specialist with the BC Wildfire Service, said northeastern British Columbia “experienced several years of drought, with below-normal snowpack last winter.”
“As a result of this, our forest in the Fort Nelson zone is very receptive to new fires and rapid rates of spread,” he said, explaining that the Parker Lake wildfire started amid high winds and grew eight kilometers (five miles). within four hours of it being first detected.
“This rapid growth has highlighted how dry and volatile forest fuels are here,” Boghean said.
Is the climate crisis playing a role?
Experts say warmer temperatures have extended Canada’s wildfire season, which typically runs from late April until September or October, and increased lightning strikes — a major cause of fires.
Mike Flannigan, head of research for predictive services, emergency management and fire science at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told Al Jazeera last year that a hotter atmosphere also dries out fire fuels, such as vegetation on the ground. of the forest.
These drier fuels make it easier for fires to start and spread, and lead to higher-intensity fires that “are difficult or impossible to extinguish,” Flannigan said.
Continued drought and warmer temperatures in Canada have fueled wildfires in British Columbia. O #ParkerLakeWildfire consumed more than 13,000 acres and prompted evacuations in #FortNelson. Check out images from Canada 2023 #WildfireSeason here: pic.twitter.com/kxpiiaW7CE
– USGS Landsat (@USGSLandsat) May 14, 2024
What other effects are the wildfires having?
Air quality advisories have been issued in several Canadian provinces as well as the United States.
Last week, warnings were issued for parts of Montana, North and South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota due to wildfire smoke in Canada, US media reports. reported.
Canada’s record 2023 wildfire season has also generated huge plumes of smoke south of the U.S. border.
“The pressing question on many people’s minds: ‘Is this the new normal?’” three University of Iowa professors wrote in A Conversa this week. “From our perspective as air quality scientists, we think the answer is probably ‘yes’.”
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
