On Wednesday, the province of Nova Scotia faced a formidable task from wildfires as hundreds of firefighters and many water bombers battled two raging flames northwest of downtown Halifax. The Tantallon Fire and the Bedford Fire, two wildfires, put Nova Scotia's provincial capital in danger. The smoke from these wildfires, which have already forced thousands of residents to from their homes, continued to threaten Halifax's surrounding villages and deteriorated the air quality in New Jersey and certain areas of Pennsylvania.
A Provincial Crisis
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston described the situation as "unprecedented" and a "crisis." Along with the previously present Coast Guard, Houston also sought military support. The flames, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are "heartbreaking," and he pledged unrestricted help. Three of the 14 wildfires that were raging in Nova Scotia on Wednesday were deemed to be out of control. Over 200 homes and other buildings, including a wooden bridge, have already been destroyed or damaged by these flames. So yet, no injuries have been reported.
Extreme Weather
Recent years have seen a recurrence of extreme weather disasters in Western Canada, including floods, mudslides, deadly forest fires that destroyed entire communities, and record-breaking summer heat that resulted in the deaths of over 500 people in 2021. Earlier this month, wildfires in Alberta destroyed around one million hectares of grasslands and woodlands, forcing 30,000 people to flee their homes at one point.
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