As if it was not enough, forest fires continue to ravage Western Canada, with more evacuation orders in place for thousands more residents across Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba.
According to authorities on Tuesday, hundreds of residents in four neighborhoods in the southern part of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada’s oil sand hub, were ordered to evacuate due to an approaching wildfire.
The Rural Municipality of Wood Buffalo announced that residents in Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek, and Grayling Terrace needed to evacuate by 4 p.m. An emergency evacuation warning remained in effect for the rest of Fort McMurray and surrounding areas. The evacuation of the four neighborhoods aimed to create space for firefighting crews as the fire advanced to within 13 kilometers (8 miles) of the city.
Fort McMurray, with a population of about 68,000, experienced a devastating wildfire in 2016 that destroyed 2,400 homes. Regional Fire Chief Jody Butz emphasized the differences in fire activity, noting the ample resources available for the current situation.
In the northeast of neighboring British Columbia, the areas under mandatory evacuation expanded, with the latest order issued on Monday for Doig River First Nation and the Peace River Regional District due to an encroaching fire. Forecasts indicated winds that could push the fire closer to Fort Nelson, prompting emergency workers to urge the remaining estimated 50 residents to evacuate.
The British Columbia Wildfire Service reported that the fire now covers 84 square kilometers (32 miles), up from 53 square kilometers (21 miles) on Monday. The communities of about 4,700 people, along with the neighboring Fort Nelson First Nation, have been under evacuation orders since Friday.
Mayor Rob Fraser of Northern Rockies Regional Municipality highlighted the challenges faced by essential staff, including firefighters, in accessing food during evacuations.
In 2023, Canada saw a record number of wildfires, leading to widespread smoke in parts of the U.S. and the evacuation of over 235,000 Canadians, resulting in the loss of at least four firefighters’ lives.
Several wildfires are currently active across western Canada, including one near Cranberry Portage in northwest Manitoba, which forced approximately 550 residents to flee their homes.
As of 5:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday afternoon, there were 132 active fires across the country, with 38 of them classified as out of control. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) reported a total of 1015 wildfires so far this year across Canada totaling 1,675,359 hectares (16,753 square kilometers).
The causes of many of these fires are still under investigation, though half of the new wildfires reported on Tuesday were determined to be caused by human activity, according to CIFFC’s website. One fire was attributed to natural causes, and the causes of eight others remain undetermined.