Environment: North America plagued by fires and drought

The town of Lytton had already been ravaged by a forest fire during the summer of 2021. The fire had forced residents to evacuate.

Here in British Columbia, Canada, July 1, 2021. REUTERS - JENNIFER GAUTHIER

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

In the grip of a heat wave, North America is once again experiencing fires and drought this summer.

Wildfires have broken out in Canada, while the western United States is once again battling a lack of water. 

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In Canada, the inhabitants of the

have not had time to rebuild their homes as the flames are already approaching again, reports our correspondent in Montreal,

.

The fire located two kilometers northwest of the village has grown little in the last hours because there has been more humidity in the air, but it still covers more than 1,700 hectares and a dozen houses in the area. have already been destroyed by the flames.

The teams therefore remain on the alert and the fire is still considered to be out of control.

The center of the country is also suffering from the flames.

In Manitoba, the indigenous community of Pukatawagan is besieged by a 230 square kilometer forest fire, less than a kilometer from its territory.

Air tankers and firefighters from neighboring provinces came to help the teams from Manitoba, most of the inhabitants of the community were able to be evacuated but the smoke complicates operations.

Rescuers are going door to door to ensure that as many people as possible can leave the scene.

Los Angeles Water Police

In California, unprecedented water restrictions have been in effect since June to combat

.

At the start of the summer, many reservoirs and rivers had already reached their historic lows. 

To cope, in Los Angeles, a "

has been put in place to limit excesses and monitor possible leaks.

It also monitors compliance with restrictions, the objective of which is to reduce consumption by 35%. 

Gardens can thus only be watered twice a week, only during cool hours and never for more than fifteen minutes... California will soon have to give up very green lawns, an American symbol that is not well suited to its climate. 

Last week,

as firefighters managed to save the giant sequoias.

(and with agencies) 

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