Fire and Flood
While Manitoba is dealing with the floods along the Assiniboine River, just east of the Rocky Mountains, Canada’s problem is wildfires. The CBC reports that Slave Lake firefighters struggle to save town
Provincial officials say 40 per cent of the town of Slave Lake, Alta., has been destroyed or damaged by wildfires which swept into the community with little warning Sunday night, forcing thousands to flee their homes.
Most the destruction happened in the southwestern section of town, said Alberta Municipal Affairs spokesperson John Muir, where half the homes were consumed by flames.
The town’s mall, town hall and many downtown businesses were all destroyed, though the hospital and the town’s schools look to be safe, he said.
The fire is still considered out of control.
Being a real news organization they provide a Map.
Alberta runs north of Montana on the East side of the Continental Divide. The town in on the Lesser Slave Lake, not the Great Slave Lake. As usual, low humidity coupled with high, gusty winds pushes even small initial fires out of control on the prairies.
