Wildfires spark evacuations for 9,000 in northeastern Canada

Officials announced Saturday that residents of Labrador City and Wabush in Newfoundland and Labrador province were mandated to leave their homes due to the escalating wildfire threat, according to provincial fire duty officer Jeff Motty.

"We are witnessing extreme fire behavior. The fire is advancing at approximately 50 meters per minute," Motty stated.

Social media images depicted long lines of vehicles at gas stations under skies obscured by thick plumes of smoke.

In this remote area, evacuees must travel over 500 kilometers (310 miles) east via the sole available road.

Labrador City's mayor, Belinda Adams, reiterated the evacuation order on Saturday morning, emphasizing the ongoing active nature of the fires in a video posted on social media.

Federal authorities noted on Friday that favorable weather conditions had somewhat constrained fire spread since the beginning of summer, but emphasized that the nation was entering peak wildfire season.

Last year marked Canada's worst fire season on record. Experts attribute the heightened risk of major fires in recent years to drier and hotter conditions exacerbated by climate change.

Currently, Canada is contending with 575 active fires, with over 400 categorized as uncontrolled. The surge in fires, particularly in the west of the country amidst a recent heat wave, has prompted widespread concern. (ILKHA)