The balance is getting tighter. A firefighter has died in Canada while fighting the mega-forest fires ravaging the country, British Columbia’s premier said Saturday. He is the third firefighter to die in just over two weeks fighting wildfires in the country.
In total, this is the fourth death of a firefighter in this devastating fire season, after the death of a helicopter pilot in a June plane crash in Alberta, in the west of the country.
“I am devastated to learn that we have lost another firefighter,” Prime Minister David Eby said, lamenting the “terrible news” and a “very terrible” wildfire season.
Over 12 million hectares burned in Canada
“This tragic news reminds us yet again of the extraordinary sacrifices they are making to ensure our safety,” he added. The victim was a contract firefighter responding to a wildfire in Donnie Creek in northeastern British Columbia.
On July 13, a 19-year-old female firefighter was also killed in British Columbia while fighting women, two days before the death of another firefighter in the southern region of the Northwest Territories.
British Columbia has been particularly affected by fires, with 368 active fires currently. In total, more than 990 fires have occurred in Canada, including 613 fires that are considered out of control.
More than 12 million hectares have burned in Canada since the start of the year, far more than the country has ever known. Canada, which due to its geographic location is warming faster than the rest of the planet, has experienced extreme weather events in recent years that have increased in intensity and frequency due to climate change.
Source: Le Parisien
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
