In Fort Nelson, British Columbia, thousands of Canadians have been told to leave their homes because of a big wildfire. It started on Friday night and got really bad, with officials saying it was a “very dangerous fire”.
The fire, called the Parker Lake fire by the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS), was small at first but grew quickly. By Saturday morning, it was covering an area of about 8 square kilometers (3 square miles). That’s about the size of 1,000 football fields!
Around 3,000 people who live in Fort Nelson had to evacuate. That’s because the fire was spreading fast, and it was too dangerous to stay. The mayor of the area, Rob Fraser, said the fire started when a tree fell onto a power line and caught fire because of strong winds. The firefighters couldn’t stop it from spreading because of the wind and dry conditions.
The firefighters are trying hard to put out the fire. They’re using helicopters, ground crews, and special experts to protect buildings from the flames.
The situation is also bad in the neighboring province of Alberta. There, people in the Grande Prairie area have been warned about a fire burning near the hamlet of TeePee Creek. Some residents have had to leave their homes. Even in Fort McMurray, a town with lots of people, they’re getting ready to evacuate because of a fire nearby.
The smoke from the wildfires is also affecting the air quality in some areas. Environment Canada has issued alerts in parts of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, warning people about the smoky air.
Last year, Canada had a terrible wildfire season. Millions of hectares of forests were burned, and many people had to leave their homes. Sadly, eight firefighters lost their lives. Environment Canada says this year might be tough too because of the weather. Warmer temperatures and less snow mean the risk of wildfires is higher.
The warmer weather is linked to climate change, which is caused by humans. Climate change makes extreme weather events like wildfires more likely. When it’s hot and dry for a long time, it makes the ground and plants very dry, which helps fires spread faster.
So, while fires are a natural part of the environment, climate change is making them worse. That’s why it’s important for us to take care of our planet and try to reduce our impact on the climate.
