Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said about 122 hectares of forest had burned so far. The fires are fueled by a hot, dry spring. With so much firewood, the slightest fire can start a big fire.
“These conditions are resulting in an unprecedented situation that our province is currently facing,” Smith explained at a press conference on Saturday (6/5), as posted World TRT.
According to government maps, almost all of Alberta and most of the neighboring province of Saskatchewan as well as much of the Northwest Territories are at extreme fire risk.
Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said the federal government stands ready to provide assistance if needed.
Meanwhile, thousands of Alberta residents continued to be evacuated. Drayton Valley with 7,000 residents, about 140 kilometers west of Edmonton, was among the communities evacuated as firefighters battled a blaze that spiraled out of control.
About 550 kilometers north of the provincial capital, a massive fire destroyed 20 homes, a grocery store and a police station in the community of Fox Lake. Residents were evacuated by boats and helicopters.
Residents of the town of Edson, which has more than 8,000 residents, were also ordered to evacuate immediately.
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