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Large forest fires take place around the world

Posted August. 21, 2023 09:01,   

Updated August. 21, 2023 09:01

한국어

Large forest fires are spreading around the world, including in Hawaii, Canada, and Spain. There are at least 1,000 forest fires across Canada, leading to state governments announcing a state of emergency. The Canary Islands in Spain are also experiencing an unprecedented size of forest fire. Experts point to global warming and climate change as the main cause of forest fires in many parts of the world.

According to the Canadian Fire Department on Saturday, 1,047 forest fires are taking place across the country. A total of 140,000 square kilometers has been burned so far, which is about 1.4 times the size of South Korea. The department said that 661 forest fires, which is over half of the total, are out of control.

The state of British Columbia in western Canada, where the largest number of forest fires – 385 – are taking place announced a state of emergency on Friday. About 35,000 residents were ordered to evacuate on Friday, followed by an order to evacuate 30,000 more people on Saturday.

The Northwest Territories, which is close to the Artic Ocean, also declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. It is the region with the second most forest fires taking place at the moment in the country, with 236 fires taking place at the moment. According to CNN, 19,000 out of 20,000 Yellowknife residents, the Northwest Territories capital, evacuated.

There is also a forest fire in the northern part of Tenerife Island, a famous vacation destination in Spain’s Canary Islands. This led to the evacuation of over 26,000 people on Tuesday. Rosa Davila, the president of Tenerife Island’s assembly, said the fire is unprecedented.

The death toll from the forest fire in Maui, a Hawaiian island, increased to 114 on August 8. A minimum of 1,300 people are estimated to be missing.

Experts say that these large forest fires around the world are caused by climate change and complex local factors. According to Reuters, hotter, drier conditions make fires far more dangerous, according to senior scientist Mark Parrington of Copernicus Climate Change Service, the EU’s climate monitoring institution.


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