Canada has sent the military to help authorities in Alberta province deal with massive wildfires raging in the region that have already burned more than 4,100,000 hectares, and there are fears the situation will worsen over the weekend.

Nearly 30,000 people have been forced from their homes since the fires broke out a week ago and 28 schools remain closed

“The Canadian Forces will assist firefighters and provide airlifts, participate in the evacuation of residents from isolated areas and protect people,” the Canadian Prime Minister announced on Twitter. Justin Trudeau.

A total of 200 troops were deployed yesterday and 100 more are expected to arrive in the coming days, authorities said.

A few days of cooler temperatures helped firefighters reduce the number of fires and allowed some residents to return to their homes.

About 80 fires were still active yesterday Thursday, of which the 23 out of control.

Hundreds of oil companies managed to resume operations after suspending their activities for several days. The province of Alberta, one of the most important oil producers in the world.

Alberta, as well as the neighboring provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan – where large fires have also broken out in recent days – are currently experiencing “unnaturally dry” conditions, equivalent to a “severe drought,” according to Canadian government data.

According to the Canadian Meteorological Service’s website, unusually high temperatures for the season are expected from tomorrow Friday to Tuesday, mainly in the central and northern parts of the country. In Fort St. John, a town near Alberta’s border with British Columbia near which a wildfire is raging, temperatures are expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius on Monday.

In addition to high temperatures, storms are also expected, creating favorable conditions for the outbreak of new fires.

For several years now, Western Canada has been plagued by recurring extreme weather events, the intensity and frequency of which are getting worse due to climate change. In 2021, a “historic” heat dome had caused the death of hundreds of people, while the phenomenon was followed by large fires.