Alberta’s premier is concerned about an ‘unprecedented’ situation. This western province of Canada In fact, a state of emergency was declared after a hundred on Saturday Forest fires were triggered there and caused around 25,000 residents to leave their homes.

Authorities have urged thousands more to be ready to leave at any time. “We have declared a state of emergency in the province to protect the safety, health and welfare of Alberta residents,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

“Really scary fires”

This province, one of the largest producers of oil in the world, and where 103 wildfires have erupted in the past few days, “had a hot and dry spring and with so many kindlers it only takes a few sparks to start really scary fires,” Danielle Smith had previously explained. All of these factors together “have led to the unprecedented situation our province is facing today.” About 122,000 hectares burned down, she said, and 20 towns were evacuated.

The state of emergency gives the provincial government “increased powers to respond to extreme situations,” the premier said, specifically mobilizing additional resources and releasing emergency funds.

Alberta — in the middle of an election — and much of the neighboring province of Saskatchewan, as well as much of the Northwest Territories, are currently at extreme fire risk, according to the federal government. Drayton Valley, a town of 7,000 in Alberta about 140 kilometers west of Edmonton, is among the evacuated communities. In Fox Lake, in the north of the province, a violent fire destroyed 20 houses, a shop and a police station. Residents were evacuated by boats and helicopters.

20 minutes with AFP