Wildfire prompts emergency alert for two communities in Canada

Ottawa, May 11 (IANS) An evacuation alert was issued for two communities in Canada's western province of Alberta due to an out-of-control wildfire.

The two communities were Fort McMurray and Saprae Creek Estates. The fire is currently 25 km southwest of Fort McMurray, and smoke could impact visibility on Highway 63 south of Fort McMurray, Xinhua news agency reported.

Residents in the affected area were asked to be ready to evacuate on short notice.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, a total of 117 fires were actively burning nationwide on Friday, with 33 fires categorised as out of control.

The Canadian government warned Thursday that above-normal temperatures nationwide could lead to greater wildfire risks.

Canada's wildfire season in 2023 is the most destructive on record.

According to the Canadian National Fire Database, there were 7,131 fires recorded nationwide in 2023, burning a record 17,203,625 hectares of land.