Floods, Wildfires in Displace Thousands in Canada

On Friday, thousands of people were asked to leave their homes in western Canada as sudden, extreme heat has triggered wildfires in parts of Alberta, and rapidly melting snow has led to floods in British Columbia.

Over 13,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Alberta, where more than 70 fires were burning.

The Little Red River Cree Nation - one of the hardest hit - has seen a 1,458-hectare (3,602-acre) fire consume 20 homes and a police station.

Canada's western and central regions, which include large portions of the country's farmland, are experiencing "abnormally dry" conditions and "severe drought" in places, the latest Canadian government survey said.

There have already been 348 wildfires in Alberta this year, according to Christie Tucker, director of the Alberta Wildfire Information Unit. These fires destroyed 25,000 hectares of land.

In the province of British Columbia, fires raged inland while floods ravaged the south as fast-melting ice from the heat swept into rivers and rushed down banks.

Authorities expect heavy rain and thunderstorms over the weekend, which will likely exacerbate the situation.

Western Canada is experiencing a cold spring until last week. The rapid rise in temperature - 10-15°C above average for this time of year - has led to fires and floods.