 "A view of the Parker Lake wildfire near Fort Nelson, BC, Canada. AP")
Thousands of people in Canada are facing the wrath of wildfires, which are scorching large swaths of territory in western Canada. The condition is becoming so dire that the authorities have ordered for the evacuation of 6,000 people from Fort McMurray, Alberta.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are nearly 120 wildfires burning across the country, putting people at risk and causing heavy damage and destruction. Authorities say that most of the blazes are in British Columbia and Alberta. Others also have broken out in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, among other parts of the country.
A few days ago, the northern town of Uttarakhand in India too reported a wildfire, which has claimed the lives of five people and affected over 1,300 hectares of land. The Supreme Court also took note of the situation, summoning the Uttarakhand chief secretary to explain the state’s lackadaisical approach to handling forest fires.
But how are wildfires caused? Here’s a graphical guide to the science behind wildfires.