Alberta up in Flames

So fire season has started in April, but what we didn't know was how bad it was gonna get!

As of April 2011 Alberta has recorded 459 wildfires, which have burned 191,896.40 hectares. In the last 24 hours, there have been 10 new wildfire starts. Alberta currently has 87 wildfires: 23 are out of control, 14 are being held, 40 are under control, and 10 have been turned over. With winds hitting upto 100km and never knowing what direction they are gonna go.

But the worst was the fire that took 40% of Slave Lake.

 Over 10,000 people in the Slave Lake area including the town had to be evacuated, the roads were closed so no one was aloud in the town. This is the worst in Alberta's history that a fire took a town out. 

If you want more info you can click Slave Lake Fires and read what the resident's had to say while they were leaving.

The only thing the resident's and fire crew can relate to what they saw is a war zone, everything is burned, while some houses across the street were untouched while some burned, nothing left but the basement foundation.

While there are still fire's burning in Alberta none compare to this one. We are hoping for some rain and not the little shower's we have been getting and none of us like to see lighting because we never know what is gonna burn next.

A complete fire ban is in effect across the province except in cities which I think is stupid, it should be for everyone!

This is what it looks like at my parent's house they are 2 1/2 hours north of me and are closer to the fires. You can read her blog entry here Mom's Blog.

It's so dry I'm scared to cut my grass in case I run over a rock and it creates a spark.