Third firefighter killed in Canada due to wildfires

A firefighter was killed in Canada while battling the massive wildfires engulfing the country, as announced by the Premier of British Columbia on Saturday.

This marks the fourth death during the ongoing devastating wildfire season in the country.

Earlier this month, a helicopter pilot lost his life in a crash in Alberta, western Canada, while fighting the wildfires that have been spreading across the nation. Additionally, two other firefighters were killed in separate incidents.

The Premier of British Columbia expressed shock and sorrow at the news of losing another firefighter, describing the forest fire season as "extremely devastating." He emphasized the exceptional sacrifices made by firefighters to ensure the safety of the public.

The victim was a contracted firefighter responding to the forest fires in the vicinity of Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia.

Currently, British Columbia is experiencing 368 active wildfires, while Canada as a whole is facing over 990 wildfires, with 613 of them being out of control.

This year, the wildfires have consumed more than 12 million hectares, a significantly higher total than any previous records in the country.

Canada, known for experiencing faster temperature increases compared to the rest of the world due to its geographical location, has been facing severe climate phenomena in recent years, which have intensified and become more frequent due to climate change.


AFP