Thousands of people have lost their homes or businesses to wildfires that are spread out across western Canada in the province of Alberta.
To date, the province has responded to 520 wildfires. In total, the fires have burnt 1,017,000 hectares. Over 1,700 Alberta firefighters have received help from 1,123 firefighters from across the rest of Canada and the U.S. (Source : CityNews )
“Climate change is warming the climate across Canada. It’s warming the climate in western Canada. We know it’s increasing the chance of heat waves. As the climate gets warmer, as we see more heat waves, that dries out the forest more quickly, it dries out the litter, and that increases the risk of wildfire,” said Nathan Gillett, a research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (source : MSN)
The East Prairie Métis Settlement in northern Alberta has also been hit hard. They’ve been on an evacuation order for the past 14 days and fire has destroyed more than two dozen structures in that community. (Source: APTNNEWS)
Dave Lamouche, president of the Métis Settlement general council told Nation to Nation (APTN News) that the scale of the destruction is still being calculated and that right now, the families need support, prayers and encouraging words. (Source: APTNNEWS)
“I think its that time, where the stuff they had lost is now sinking in,” said Lamouche.
He said although it isn’t time to start to rebuild, he’s hoping to see some action from the federal government, (Source: APTNNEWS)
“There hasn’t been any real commitment made, although lots of commitment has been made verbally,” said Lamouche.