Wildfires: Alberta asks for military assistance to tackle fires
- Published
- comments
The province of Alberta has asked the Canadian government for military assistance to tackle wildfires that are burning across the region.
On Wednesday morning there were 81 active wildfires including around 24 that are considered out of control.
The province declared a state of emergency on Saturday as more than 110 wildfires burned.
Nearly 30,000 people have been asked to evacuate their homes and more than 50 schools were closed on Monday morning.
Around 964,000 acres (an area larger than Cornwall) have burnt since wildfires began over a week ago in Western Canada.
On Monday, the head of the province of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and asked for extra help, including military support, from the federal government.
"Prime Minister Trudeau confirmed that the military will be sent to assist if necessary" she told a news conference.
The fires are spread across the western and northern area of the province.
Alberta is a major oil-producing region in Canada, and the fires have forced some oil producers to temporarily shut in some of their wells.
There have already been 412 fires this season - which usually runs from 1 March to 31 October - an unusually high number.
The fires are spread across the western and northern portion of the province, engulfing several areas along the Rocky Mountain Foothills
The worst-hit areas include Drayton Valley, about 87 miles west of the provincial capital Edmonton, and Fox Lake, some 341 miles north of the city, where 20 homes and a police station were consumed by fire.
Some people who were evacuated have been able to return home after cooler weather helped firefighters bring many fires under control.
Firefighters from other provinces, including Quebec and Ontario, have flown into Alberta to help fight the fires and the premier has also asked for any volunteers who have firefighting experience to assist.
Alberta's neighbouring provinces, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, have also been affected by wildfires and some residents have also been evacuated from their homes.