People evacuate the forest fire area. (Source: Global News)
On May 6, hundreds of wildfires broke out across the province of Alberta, Western Canada, and spiraled out of control, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
Canadian media quoted the Director of the Alberta Emergency Management Committee, Mr. Steven Lacroix, saying: "Everyone has evacuated safely, no one was injured after hundreds of fires broke out fiercely in the past days."
According to a VNA reporter in Canada, as of the morning of May 6, there were 103 forest fires, of which nearly 40 areas were recorded as out of control.
Evacuation orders for the two hardest-hit towns of Drayton Valley and Edson, 140km and 215km west of the capital Edmonton, respectively, have been issued consecutively over the past two days.
These two areas have a population of about 15,000 people, accounting for nearly 4% of Alberta's population.
Several areas in northern and central Alberta have imposed fire bans due to unseasonably hot and windy weather.
In Fox Lake, about 550km north of the capital Edmonton, a large wildfire broke out over about 4,500 hectares, in which 20 houses, a unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, several stores and a water treatment plant of the community were destroyed.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman Troy Savinkoff confirmed that the unit's living and working area was destroyed, but equipment and weapons as well as the families of the unit members were safely evacuated from the danger zone.
The Canadian government has affirmed its readiness to assist Alberta in dealing with the wildfires raging in the province.
In a statement, the Office of the Minister of Emergency Services said it is closely monitoring reports of ongoing wildfires in Alberta and encourages people in affected areas to follow the instructions of local authorities.
The Alberta government has not made a formal request for assistance at this time, but the Government has made the necessary resources available.
Firefighters will be dispatched from Ontario and Quebec to Alberta to assist.
Since the beginning of 2023, nearly 350 wildfires have occurred in Alberta, burning more than 25,000 hectares in the province./.
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