Cooler Weather Brings Some Relief for Fire Crews Battling Blazes in Western Canada

A fire department vehicle enters the evacuated neighbourhood of Beacon Hill in Fort McMurray, Alta., on May 15, 2024. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

Cooler temperatures and weaker winds have provided some relief for firefighters working to gain the upper hand over fires burning in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. But the danger remains for three communities as crews work to keep the blaze away from the towns.

Dry conditions and days of gusting winds have stoked more than 100 wildfires across Western Canada, including several out of control blazes that have forced thousands to evacuate their homes in the past week.

British Columbia

It is the tale of two fires near Fort Nelson, B.C., as firefighting crews managed to hold off the Parker Lake blaze but must now also contend with the Patry Creek fire, a holdover from 2023 that has grown substantially in the past few days.