Canada Issues International Call for Help
Canada has issued an international call for help as wildfires continue to spread. Thousands of firefighters are battling the flames in four provinces, and thousands of people have been evacuated.
Canada Appeals to Other Countries for Assistance
In the face of escalating wildfires, Canada has launched an international call for help.
“The situation in Alberta remains very concerning and dangerous,” said Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair. Another challenge is the significant number of fires now occurring in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories.
As a result, Canada is now reaching out “to other countries, including the United States, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand,” seeking their assistance.
Thousands of Firefighters Mobilized
In Alberta, wildfires raging since early May have already consumed over half a million hectares of forest and grasslands. Numerous residential and commercial buildings have been destroyed. About 2,500 firefighters from across the country and 400 soldiers are battling the flames in the province, with 27 fires currently out of control.
In the westernmost province of British Columbia, there were 60 fires on Wednesday, with 15 of them classified as uncontrolled. Thousands of people have been evacuated in the Northwest Territories due to the fires.
“A Long Battle Ahead”
“There is no doubt that this summer will be challenging, and we will need assistance,” said Josee St-Onge, spokesperson for Alberta’s emergency services. Given the magnitude of the fires, it will take months to bring them under control, “unless there is a significant weather change bringing much-needed moisture,” she added. It will be a “long battle.”
The month of April was exceptionally dry in western Canada, followed by record-breaking temperatures and strong winds since early May. The western region of Canada has been experiencing increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events in recent years, which experts attribute to climate change.