Thousands forced to evacuate as wildfires ravage western Canada

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS. Alberta has declared a state of emergency after wildfires spread across the western Canadian province, driving nearly 30,000 people from their homes.

Faced with more than 100 wildfires, Alberta's Premier Danielle Smith called the situation "unprecedented".

Residents of Edson, a town of more than 8,000, were told to leave immediately.

Many of the fires are burning out of control, fanned by strong winds.

The worst-hit areas include Drayton Valley, about 140km (87 miles) west of the provincial capital Edmonton, and Fox Lake, some 550km north of the city, where 20 homes were consumed by fire, the BBC reported.

Two out-of-control wildfires in neighboring British Columbia also caused some people to leave their homes, and officials warned that they expected high winds to cause the blazes to grow bigger in the next few days.

A third fire in British Columbia was burning out of control 700 kilometers (430 miles) to the south, in the Teare Creek region, and some residents near the village of McBride were evacuated.