At least 29,000 people were evacuated to protect against the 108 active fires plaguing the state Alberta, Western Canada.
During this Sunday, fire crews battled the blazes at a time of low temperatures and a light rain which brought some relief, but only for certain regions.
Alberta officials noted that the weather was favorable in the following hours and days, with light rain and cloudy conditions. But they warned that a return of high temperatures and arid conditions is expected.
“There are people who have said that this season is unprecedented in recent history because we have so many scattered fires,” said Christie Tucker of the Alberta Fire Department. “It’s been an unusual year.”
Colin Blair, executive director of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said there were no specific reports of damage because the conditions made it difficult to assess the situation.
However, some buildings were destroyed in the town of Fox Lake, including 20 housing units, a police station and a store.
Similarly, in northeastern British Columbia, authorities have urged residents to evacuate areas near two fires out of control near the Alberta border, noting there were reports that some people refused to leave.
“It hampers the response and puts their lives and the lives of the firefighters at risk,” said Leonard Hiebert, chairman of the Peace River Regional District.
A third fire in British Columbia was out of control about 700 kilometers south in the Teare Creek area, and some residents near the town of McBride were evacuated.
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