Zombie fires from last year reignite, causing multiple wildfires in Canada and prompting evacuations. Hazardous smoke affects air quality in Canada and the US, with officials warning of an ‘explosive’ wildfire season ahead.

Zombie Fires Ignite Various Wildfires in Canada: Evacuations and Smoke Affect Residents and Air Quality

Wildfires are spreading across multiple provinces in Canada, threatening towns and prompting mass evacuations. Known as “zombie” fires, these are remnants of last year’s fires that have smoldered underground during the winter and reignited with warmer temperatures.

Fort Nelson, British Columbia:
The Parker Lake Fire, which surged from 13,000 acres to nearly 21,000 acres, has led to the evacuation of 4,700 residents, including those in the Fort Nelson First Nation. Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Mayor Rob Fraser reported that nearly all residents have complied with the evacuation orders.

Manitoba:
One of the largest active wildfires in the country has burned over 86,000 acres. More than 500 residents of Cranberry Portage have been evacuated as the fire spreads.

Alberta:
A large fire near Fort McMurray, an area devastated by a wildfire in 2016, has grown to over 23,000 acres. Evacuation alerts have been issued for several communities, including Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek, and Fort McMurray 468 First Nation.

Environmental Impact:
The wildfires are generating plumes of hazardous smoke that are affecting air quality across Canada and the US. Poor air quality alerts have been issued in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota, among other states. The central US, particularly, will face hazy conditions and degraded air quality through the week.

Future Outlook:
Officials state that extremely dry and windy conditions are exacerbating the fires. Ben Boghean of the BC Wildfire Service indicated that the region has faced multiple years of drought and a below-normal snowpack, making forests highly susceptible to fire ignitions and rapid spread.

Additional fires, such as the Patry Creek Fire and the Nogah Creek Wildfire, are also growing near Fort Nelson. As Canada braces for an “explosive” wildfire season, the impact on air quality and the threat to homes remain significant concerns.

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