2023-05-22 02:22:02
EDMONTON, Canada (AP) — Scattered showers and thick clouds of smoke cooled air temperatures and helped fight wildfires in Alberta over the weekend, authorities said Sunday, as a new fire in the neighboring British Columbia prompted an evacuation order for a rural area.
Although the smoke caused cooler temperatures, it also limited the ability to use aircraft to fight the flames and might harm the health of those who have to breathe it, authorities added.
“I mightn’t say that one surpasses the other. We will take any opportunity we get, and if it provides an opportunity to fight more fires on the ground, then that’s what we can do,” Alberta fire officer Christie Tucker said at a news conference.
Tucker said only five new wildfires started between Friday morning and Sunday morning, some of which he blamed on Albertans abiding by restrictions on fire and ATV use. In total, 84 fires burned in the province on Sunday, 23 of which were out of control. More than 10,000 people took refuge far from their homes.
“While we are optimistic that the forecast rain will be enough to make a difference to some wildfires in the province, we are not out of the woods yet,” Tucker warned.
In British Columbia, which has also been dealing with several wildfires, a wildfire prompted authorities to order the evacuation of an area of Lake Tzenzaicut, regarding 375 miles (600 kilometers) north of Vancouver. Firefighters had to abandon a property.
Jessica Mack, a spokeswoman for the Cariboo Fire Center, said crews were using heavy equipment and planes to fight the growing blaze.
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