Canada's fire season reaches record-breaking levels
Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in western Canada as wildfires rage out of control, AFP and news.ro report.
The fires are particularly bad in the Okanagan Valley, a popular tourist destination in British Columbia. The city of Kelowna, with a population of 150,000, has been evacuated, and the fire is also threatening the town of West Kelowna.
"The situation is very dynamic," said Bowinn Ma, emergency manager for the province of British Columbia. "We stress the absolute importance of immediate compliance with evacuation orders."
The fires have also forced the evacuation of thousands of people in the Northwest Territories.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised federal resources to help fight the fires.
"I spoke to Premier Eby today about the rapidly evolving and incredibly devastating forest fire situation in British Columbia," Trudeau said in a tweet. "We are committed to providing all the support needed to keep people safe and protect communities."
The fires are the latest in a series of extreme weather events that have hit Canada in recent years. Climate experts say that these events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
