Western Canada has been devastated by the flames for almost two weeks. Authorities say this is an unprecedented wave of forest fires for this time of year. They also warn that you have to be better prepared to face the hottest months of July and August on the calendar. The high temperatures – which have exceeded various records – and the strong winds make the work of the firefighters extremely difficult.

The province of Alberta continues with several red dots on the map. The provincial government has reported that there are 91 active fires; 27 burning out of control. “Smoke-generated conditions can make it difficult to fly over wildfires, which can mean it sometimes takes us longer to make an assessment,” Christie Tucker, Alberta’s chief information officer, said Wednesday. Wildfire. The province declared a state of emergency on May 7. More than 17,000 people are still under evacuation orders. So far this year, some 534,000 hectares have been devastated by the flames.

1,600 provincial firefighters are involved in the work. Some 600 people from other parts of the country joined the tasks, as well as 300 members of the armed forces. This Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Edmonton. Trudeau said the military “has been deployed to provide firefighting support, help evacuate isolated communities and make sure people are safe.”

British Columbia is also the scene of this wave of fires. There are currently 58 assets, mainly in the north of the province. The authorities have banned from this Thursday to light an open fire. In Saskatchewan, there are 27 active fires. Two of them, Shaw and Vermette, are of particular concern because of their size: 47,000 and 45,000 hectares respectively.

Air quality was affected even hundreds of miles from the fires. Some of the major urban centers are plagued by this problem. Environment Canada has issued a warning to Calgary (Alberta’s most populous city) for smoke and toxic particulates; also regarding reduced visibility. This institution has also alerted to the risks for the inhabitants of Regina and Saskatoon (located in Saskatchewan) and northeastern British Columbia.

The forest fires have impacted the country’s oil production. This production was reduced by approximately 4%, particularly in Alberta, the province with the highest hydrocarbon activity in Canada. Western Canada was hit in the summer of 2021 by a dizzying rise in thermometers; a phenomenon known as “heat dome”. These temperatures caused, among other misfortunes, a series of fires. One of them devastated 90% of Lytton, a community in British Columbia which a few days earlier had recorded 49.6 degrees, a national record.

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