Alberta wildfires: Rain could be a 'turning point' for firefighters, official says | FULL

During a wildfire update on Monday, Christie Tucker, the information unit manager for Alberta Wildfire said that rain that's now moved into the province could be a "turning point" for firefighters.

"The majority of the large-scale wildfires burning in Alberta have received some rain," Tucker said adding that "even if those wildfires haven't received [rain] on every part of the fire, it can create conditions that can make it easier to fight the fire."

As of Monday afternoon, Alberta Wildfire reported 87 wildfires are burning across the province — 80 of which are in the forest protection area — and 24 are out of control.

The fires have destroyed or damaged 275 buildings across Alberta, including homes, businesses, outbuildings and other structures as they blazed a path of destruction 10 times the size of the Calgary area.

According to data tracked by the World Air Quality Index, a non-profit project that collects information from air-monitoring stations around the globe, Alberta had the worst air quality in the world on Sunday. As of 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Environment Canada’s website said Calgary’s air quality was rated at 10 on the air quality health index, considered “high risk.”

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/9715282/alberta-wildfire-smoke-air-quality-elks-stampeders-cfl/

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