Spreading Western Canada wildfire prompts thousands to evacuate

[sl8]

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/spreading-western-canada-wildfire-prompts-thousands-evacuate-2024-05-12/

Spreading Western Canada wildfire prompts thousands to evacuate



Smoke rises from mutual aid wildfire GCU007 in the Grande Prairie Forest Area near TeePee Creek, Alberta, Canada May 10, 2024. Alberta Wildfire/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

By Reuters
May 12, 2024 12:01 PM EDT Updated an hour ago

TORONTO, May 12 (Reuters) - The season's first major wildfire continued to burn across Western Canada as firefighters tamed the fast spreading blaze while authorities evacuated a town in British Columbia and advised residents of an oil hub in Alberta to prepare to leave.

Alberta said the wildfire was extreme and out of control, located 16 km (9.94 miles) southwest of Fort McMurray and spread across 1,992 hectares (4922.34 acres) of land, nearly double what was reported earlier.

In British Columbia, thousands of residents in Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nations were asked to evacuate as the blaze spread in size to 1,696 hectares.

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Mayor Rob Fraser in a television interview said most of the 3,500 residents in and around Fort Nelson had been evacuated.

[...]

[True Dough]

1. If the summer is dry

it's bound to be another record-setting fire season. Hoping for an abundance of rain.

[Srkdqltr]

2. Drove through there twice on the way to Alaska. Beautiful country. What a shame.

Good luck to them all.

[flying_wahini]

3. It's going to be a long summer fire season for them.