A forest fire broke out in the Grande Prairie district of Alberta, Canada on Saturday.
Alberta Fire Service Government/Canadian Press via AP
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Alberta Fire Service Government/Canadian Press via AP
A forest fire broke out in the Grande Prairie district of Alberta, Canada on Saturday.
Alberta Fire Service Government/Canadian Press via AP
EDMONTON, Alberta — Firefighters fought back forest fire Amid hopes that cold temperatures and the possibility of rain will bring some temporary relief to communities in western Canada on Sunday.
A state of emergency was declared across the province on Saturday as more than 110 forest fires burned across the province, forcing more than 24,000 people to flee their homes.
Two out-of-control wildfires in neighboring British Columbia caused some people to flee their homes, and officials warned that strong winds could fuel the flames in the next few days.
Alberta provincial officials said the weather forecast is favorable for the next few days, with trace amounts of rain and clouds. But they warned that hot and dry conditions would return within days.
“Some areas may have experienced rainfall while others have not. Wildfires in the area are very hot and will burn deep into the ground. If conditions are right this fire could reignite,” a provincial update said on Sunday. About fires in Parkland and Yellowhead counties west of Edmonton.
In northeastern British Columbia, Peace River Regional District Chief Leonard Hiebert said in a statement that two large fires in the area have been “overwhelming” since they were discovered Friday. He urged anyone living in the area under the evacuation order to leave immediately.
A third fire in British Columbia, 700 kilometers (430 mi) to the south, was burning out of control in the Deere Creek area, and some residents near the village of McBride were evacuated.
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