International help needed: Devastating forest fires in Canada

Canada has launched an international call for help because of forest fires that have been raging for weeks.

Canada has asked the US, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand to help reduce the spread. Fires are raging across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.

In Alberta alone, more than one million acres of forest and grassland have burned since the fires broke out. Numerous residential and commercial buildings have been destroyed.

Around 2500 firefighters and 400 soldiers are battling the flames in the province in western Canada. At least 27 fires are currently out of control.

Approximately 60 wildfires were active in British Columbia on Wednesday 17th May, with 15 of them considered to be not under control. Thousands of people had to be brought to safety in the Northwest Territories.

In Alberta and British Columbia, some rain may fall over the next week to aid firefighting efforts. Across the other areas, precipitation is also in sight, though the amounts look far less.

While this would certainly ease the situation, it is unclear if the rain would be sufficient to extinguish the forest fires over a large area.