Western Canada blazes cause evacuations, air quality concerns

13/5/2024 12:46

        The season's first major wildfire continued to burn across Western Canada as firefighters tamed the fast spreading blaze while authorities evacuated
        thousands of residents and warned of poor air quality from British Columbia to Ontario.
        
        Residents in a town in British Columbia were evacuated while many in Fort McMurray, an oil hub in Alberta that faced extensive damage from wildfires in 2016, were asked to prepare to leave.
        
        On Sunday, authorities said the fire had subdued but was expected to increase as the temperatures soar.
        
        Alberta said the wildfire was extreme and out of control, located 16 km southwest of Fort McMurray. It grew significantly over the weekend and was 5,500 hectares in size, growing several folds than what was reported earlier.