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The fire brigade has been fighting the flames in the western United States and Canada for weeks: here in the US state of Oregon on July 11, 2021
Photo: HANDOUT / AFP
Because of the devastating forest fires in western Canada, the authorities have declared a state of emergency.
"We have reached a critical point," said British Columbia's Secretary of Public Security Mike Farnworth.
In emergency conditions, the authorities can order mass evacuations and set up protective devices for people who have been brought to safety.
On Tuesday, authorities ordered 5,700 more people to leave their homes because of the danger of the forest fires.
Tens of thousands more were called upon to prepare for possible similar orders.
"Please prepare an evacuation plan for your family," the fire brigade appealed to the people.
Serious forest fires have been raging in western Canada for weeks.
There are currently around 300 active fires in British Columbia, and more than 3000 firefighters are working against the flames.
Smoke moves as far as New York
Fires are also spreading on the west coast of the USA.
The smoke from the forest fires shrouded the east coast metropolis of New York in a gray haze on Tuesday.
The environmental agency of the state of New York issued a health alarm due to increased particulate matter pollution.
A representative from the agency said it was not unusual for smoke from fires in the west of the country to penetrate the region, but this time it was in a lower layer of air.
The weather service predicted a cold front for Wednesday, which should put an end to the phenomenon.
In the state of Oregon alone, a fire has so far destroyed more than 137,000 hectares of forest.
Countless fires are also blazing in other states along the US west coast and in Canada.
lmd / AFP