Thousands have been evacuated due to wildfires in Canada

More than 210 fires are raging across the country. 2.7 million hectares have already been destroyed and more than 11,000 people have been ordered to flee.

As wildfires spread across eastern Canada, authorities in the province of Quebec have called for more than 11,000 people to flee. Evacuation orders were issued on Friday, among other things, in the small town of Sept Ellis. “This is a scary time for a lot of people from coast to coast,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, referring to the hundreds of fires in his country that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Sept Ells Mayor Steve Popper declared a state of emergency in a small town on the St. Lawrence River. Because the wildfire spread rapidly, many people had to leave their homes.

Stéphane Lauzon, a member of the Quebec legislature, told a news conference in Ottawa that 10,000 people, a third of Sept-Iles’ population, would have to flee. About 1,000 other people were called to flee Chapais in northern Quebec.

Most of the fires are out of control

“The situation in Quebec is evolving rapidly,” Luzon said. There were “more fires” on Friday than the day before. About 20 of the 100 or so fires are out of control.

There were more than 210 fires across Canada on Friday, with more than 90 out of control. The fires have already destroyed more than 2.7 million hectares. After the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were hit particularly hard at the beginning of May, the fire brigade had to fight blazes in Novia Scotia on the Atlantic coast last week.

The heat wave causes particularly severe fires

Due to the heat wave, wildfires have been particularly intensified this year. Emergency services hope the forecast for a cool-down weekend with rain will make the extinguishing process easier.

The local forces are supported by nearly 1,000 firefighters from the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Canadian government also sent troops to Nova Scotia and Quebec.

Canada has repeatedly suffered from severe weather in recent years. Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of such events.

(APA)