Thousands evacuated in Canada wildfires

Cooler weather on Monday brought some relief to firefighters battling widespread wildfires in Western Canada, but officials warned it could be months before they're brought under control. A state of emergency was declared in Alberta on Saturday, with more than 700 firefighters deployed. Christy Tucker is the Alberta Wildfire Information Manager. We're not out of the woods yet. We're expecting to warm up towards the weekend, which could raise fire danger levels again, and we anticipate when direction could shift, which will change how we tackle these fires. There are nearly 100 active wildfires burning in Alberta, and around a third of them are considered out of control. More than 29,000 people have been evacuated from their homes so far.

Nearly 300 patients in long-term care facilities have also been moved to safety. Alberta's premier, Danielle Smith, on Monday announced that the government will be providing one-time emergency financial aid to residents displaced by the blazes. Every adult who's been evacuated and displaced for seven consecutive days will receive $1,250 along with an additional $500 for each dependent child under age 18. These payments will help evacuees pay for accommodations, food and other basic necessities. The unprecedented wildfire season has shut in at least 3% of Canada's energy production. The country is the world's fourth largest crude producer, and about 80% of its oil comes from Alberta. The fires have primarily affected light oil and natural gas producers who shut in operations as a precaution.

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