Canadian wildfire fueled by climate change

Climate Central : On Tuesday some 80 000 residents of the city of Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada, and the surrounding area were forced to evacuate when a wildfire lit up the skies and thick smoke filled the air. Unusually warm weather, with temperatures soaring into the 90s, and high winds helped fuel the flames. The fire, which has forced the largest evacuation in the area to date, is part of a growing trend. In Canada, wildfires are starting a month earlier and the average annual burn area has doubled since 1970, according to Mike Flannigan of the University of Alberta. Flannigan blames climate change, which has been causing drier winters and earlier spring snowmelt. A single wildfire in Canada can have global impacts because of the tons of carbon pollution that can be released into the atmosphere, which causes further warming and increased fire risk.