Video - Wildfires Ravage Canada's Alberta, Force Evacuation of 30,000 Residents

Nearly 30,000 people were evacuated in Alberta, Canada by the end of the weekend as more than 100 wildfires rage on. Almond Li reports.

Western Canada is grappling with a severe wildfire crisis as more than 100 active blazes rage across the region, where upwards of 960,000 acres were left charred. Officials have stated the intensity of the fires will serve as a preview of what's to come for the US.

Canadian authorities recently issued a round of evacuation orders as numerous uncontrolled wildfires in the Alberta province reached a new level of intensity, effectively prompting the displacement of approximately 30,000 individuals in the area.

Amid the escalating emergency, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith declared a state of emergency on Saturday, describing the situation as "unprecedented."

Alberta, known for being one of the world's largest oil-producing regions, "has been experiencing a hot, dry spring and with so much kindling, all it takes is a few sparks to ignite some truly frightening wildfires," Smith said.

With an abundance of dry vegetation, even a small spark can ignite formidable and terrifying blazes.

Alberta Wildfires 🙏 #Wildfires
.#AlbertaWildfires #Edmonton #Banff #breaking #ABFires #abpoli #fire #AlbertaStrong #trucking #Evacuation #Canada #RoadSafety pic.twitter.com/sXb9G4LADX

— 401_da_sarpanch (@401_da_sarpanch) May 8, 2023

Christie Tucker, spokesperson for Alberta's wildfire agency, shared that light showers in the southern part of the province on Sunday offered some respite.

Firefighters were able to access areas previously unreachable due to the extreme behavior of the fires. Nevertheless, conditions in the northern regions of Alberta remain extremely challenging.

"Our priorities today have been and always are wildfires that are threatening communities or human lives," Tucker emphasized.

Colin Blair, chief of Alberta Emergency Management, publicly acknowledged the difficulty in assessing property damage in certain areas as a result of "the ongoing smoke and fire conditions."

In Fox Lake, located in northern Alberta, an immense fire left a trail of destruction in its wake. Twenty homes, a store, and even a police station were reduced to ashes. The severity of the situation prompted the evacuation of some residents by boat and helicopter.

A look at the wildfire currently burning in Edmonton. Canada has been busy. #wildfire #Canadian pic.twitter.com/VnarbGd5s0

— The Hotshot Wake Up (@HotshotWake) May 1, 2023

Meanwhile, in neighboring British Columbia, two out-of-control wildfires forced residents to flee their homes. Authorities earlier issued warnings, stating strong winds in the upcoming days were expected to further exacerbate the blazes.

Over the past few years, western Canada has been plagued by extreme weather events. In 2016, forest fires in the oil sands region disrupted production and made 100,000 residents of Fort McMurray to evacuate, a feat that went on to severely impact the nation's economy.

In 2021, westernmost British Columbia experienced record-breaking temperatures that claimed the lives of over 500 individuals, accompanied by wildfires that decimated an entire town. The region was subsequently devastated by destructive floods and mudslides.

As the wildfires continue to wreak havoc and efforts to contain and extinguish the flames remain ongoing, authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant, follow evacuation orders, and prioritize their safety.

Many residents and oil workers rode to safety in motorhomes or with campers in tow, and set up in empty parking lots. Others are staying with friends or family, like Jerry Greiner, a resident from Dayton Valley, west of Edmonton, the capital of Alberta.

"We could see the smoke on Friday and there was a pretty strong wind," the 55-year-old told AFP, his eyes tearing up as he recounted receiving the order to evacuate that night.

"We quickly grabbed our bags (and went) to our friends' house. About 12 people stayed there," he said. This marked the first time he has ever had to flee wildfires.

Dayton Valley, a small town of 7,000, was completely abandoned. Trees and grass fields all around were blackened by the fires, and smoke billowed from a few charred buildings, but most of the homes appeared intact, observed an AFP reporter.

Smoke Shrouds Alberta, Canada, as Crews Battle Ongoing Wildfires

Timelapse satellite imagery posted by CIRA shows thick smoke across Alberta from Friday to Monday morning.

On Saturday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith declared a state of emergency due to the wildfires, calling it “a difficult and stressful time for many Albertans.”

By Monday morning, 105 active wildfires were burning in the province, according to official fire information.

A wildfire burns near Edson, Alta. As of Sunday afternoon, there were 108 active fires spread across Alberta, with 31 classified as out-of-control. (Alberta Wildfire)

Conditions remain volatile as officials say the extent of damage is difficult to determine as the situation develops.

An incident management team from B.C. arrived Sunday to take over the wildfire near Edson and the Pembina complex in the northern Rocky Mountain House area.

Firefighters from Ontario and Québec arrived in the province Saturday and have been deployed to assist in various regions.

Overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, five to 12 millimetres of rain was recorded in some of most affected areas such as Edson, Hinton and Jasper.

Scattered showers are expected to continue throughout Sunday afternoon, with some heavy localized rainfall of between five to 10 millimetres.

Declaring a state of emergency is a legal mechanism that provides the provincial government with a higher level of intergovernmental co-ordination by working with municipalities, organizations and businesses to support evacuated residents.

It also allows around-the-clock monitoring of the situation, access to emergency discretionary funds and the ability to mobilize additional support.