Authorities in the western province of British Columbia claim that the fireman perished while battling the Donnie Creek fire near Fort St. John.As fires rage out of control, residents are being evacuated from a region in the province further south, close to the US border.
British Columbia is home to one-third of the fires that are now burning in Canada.
More territory than South Korea or Cuba has been consumed by wildfires in Canada so far this season—roughly 30 million acres.
Late on Saturday, a fire that originated in the northwest US state of Washington jumped into Canada, forcing residents in the southern province’s town of Osoyoos and its surrounding areas to flee.
On social media, residents of the town posted pictures of the oncoming fire, including the one above.
This month has saw the deaths of two additional firefighters in separate instances, making this Canada’s worst wildfire season ever.
The pilot of a helicopter that was assisting with “bucketing” operations was killed in a mishap last week in the neighboring province of Alberta.
Of the 990 fires that are now burning in Canada, 613 are regarded as out of control.
In a statement released on Saturday, Premier David Eby of British Columbia announced the passing of the third fireman, adding, “My heart goes out to the family, friends, and colleagues of this frontline hero.”
The season this year, according to Mr. Eby, had been “profoundly awful,” and he spoke of the firefighters’ “extraordinary sacrifices… to keep us safe.”
Firefighters in Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic coast, fought the biggest wildfire the province has ever seen in June.
The likelihood of hot, dry weather, which is prone to start wildfires, is increasing due to climate change.
Since the start of the industrial age, the world has already warmed by around 1.1C, and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments drastically reduce emissions.
According to estimates, Canada is warming twice as quickly as the rest of the world, and there had been an increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events there.
As smoke is carried south over the eastern coast of North America, its wildfires have also prompted pollution alerts across the continent. Even Europe has been affected by smoke.
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