The Premier of Alberta is concerned about an "unprecedented" situation. This province in western Canada declared a state of emergency on Saturday after a hundred forest fires broke out and led some 25,000 residents to leave their homes.

Authorities have asked thousands more to be ready to leave at any time. "We have declared a provincial state of emergency to protect the safety, health and well-being of Albertans," said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

'Really scary fires'

This province, one of the largest oil producers in the world, and where 103 wildfires have broken out in recent days, "has experienced a hot and dry spring and with so many small woods, it only takes a few sparks to start really scary fires," Smith said earlier. All of these factors together "have resulted in the unprecedented situation facing our province today." About 122,000 hectares burned, she said, and 20 localities were evacuated.

The state of emergency gives the provincial government "increased powers to respond to extreme situations," the premier said, including the mobilization of additional resources and the release of emergency funds.

Alberta — in the middle of an election period — and a significant area of neighbouring Saskatchewan, as well as much of the Northwest Territories, are currently facing an extreme risk of fires, according to the federal government. Drayton Valley, a town of 7,000 people in Alberta about 140 kilometres west of Edmonton, was among those evacuated. In Fox Lake, in the north of the province, a violent fire destroyed 20 homes, a store and a police station. Residents were evacuated by boat and helicopter.

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