Alberta: The Canadian province of Alberta declared a state of emergency on Saturday as thousands of Albertans were forced to evacuate their homes as “unprecedented” wildfires raged across Alberta, the ruling United Conservative Party (UCP) said. Danielle Smith) said at the press conference.
As of 5 p.m. Mountain Time (7 p.m. ET) on Saturday, more than 24,000 Albertans had been evacuated from their homes, with 110 active wildfires and 36 out of control across the province.
“Much of Alberta is experiencing a hot, dry spring and with so much burning, it takes a few sparks to ignite a truly catastrophic wildfire,” Smith said at a press conference earlier in the day. “These conditions have resulted in an unprecedented situation facing our province today,” Smith said.
Evacuated communities also include Brezeau County, including all 7,000 people living in Drayton Valley, 140 km (87 mi) west of the provincial capital Edmonton.
The entire community of 3,600 people in Fox Lake was also involved in the evacuation, where the 1,458-hectare (3,609-acre) Fox Lake fire consumed 20 homes and the police station. “I don’t know that I ever recall seeing so many communities evacuate at once during fire season,” Smith said.
They said C$1.5 billion (USD 1.12 billion) has been set aside as a contingency because they know a significant amount may need to be spent on emergency management.
Whitecap Resources (WCP.TO), an oil producer operating in northwestern and central Alberta, said it is busy ensuring workers are safe and assets unaffected through the evacuation process. “(We) are monitoring closely and praying for rain,” Whitecaps CEO Grant Fagerheim said Saturday.