June 2019 Canada Wildfires Destroy Homes and Force Thousands to Evacuate

[Meatpie]

NASA released this view of Canada from space in a Tweet on Saturday June 1 showing smoke from wildfires raging in northern Alberta.

At least 10 wildfires are burning out of control in Alberta, and the massive blaze that has forced the evacuation of High Level is nearing half the size of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.

The Chuckegg Creek fire near High Level has grown to approximately 280,000 hectares, up from 237,000 hectares on Thursday, according to provincial officials. The devastating Fort McMurray wildfire consumed 589,000 hectares.

About 14 homes in the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement were destroyed by the fire. No homes or businesses have been damaged in High Level, but the risk remains, according to Saturday’s update.

Fire information officer Claire Allen told CTV Edmonton that the main battleground remains in the Paddle Prairie area, but that could change.

“The winds have been switching direction every single day,” she said.
In its Saturday update, the province noted that thunderstorms.

Several out-of-control fires continue to burn near Slave Lake. The largest two were estimated at 155,968 hectares and 55,579 hectares on Saturday.

“Overall these wildfires experienced minimal growth yesterday,” the government said Saturday.
Evacuations have been ordered for the Trout Lake Community, Chipewyan Lakes, the Hamlet of Wabasca, Bigstone Cree Nation and Marten Beach as a result of the blazes.

Slave Lake is not considered to be in imminent danger, but residents are being asked to prepare to evacuate on short notice.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/high-...alf-the-size-of-fort-mcmurray-blaze-1.4447549