Many people across the globe are concerned about the massive wildfires raging out of control in Alberta, Canada right now. Over 90,000 residents of the town of Fort McMurray have been forced to flee ahead of the flames, a blaze that has scorched more than half a million acres to date. Lack of rain, low humidity, and strong winds are only feeding the fire, and the environmental impact of the Canadian wildfires remains to be seen.
Sections of Alberta’s oil sands fields have been destroyed by the blaze. Oil sand is a blend of sand, water, clay, and bitumen. The bitumen, a petroleum product, is extracted for use in the production of materials like asphalt. The effect of the fire on the environment, and how toxins from the oil sands will factor in, is still being assessed but there’s no doubt it could be huge.
With residential areas burning along with the trees, toxins from products like roofing shingles, cars, and even furniture are being released into the air, including elements like mercury and lead. Smoke from the fires has drifted as far as the Gulf of Mexico, carrying with it tiny particles of these toxins which can be inhaled. Those in close proximity to the fire are at the greatest risk of breathing in these chemicals.
Even when the rains come, the trouble isn’t over. While they may douse the flames, heavy rains will also flush the chemical laden ash into waterways, causing harm to the fish and to the wild animals who depend on the water to survive. The Athabasca River, which runs through Fort McMurray, already contains contaminants that are the normal run off of oil sands production.
Officials are currently taking water samples and monitoring the river for changes. While wildfires in Canada’s boreal forest are not unusual — each year an average of 4.9 million acres burn, sparked by lightning and other natural occurrences — this fire is different in both its intensity and its location right in the heart of oil sands country.
These boreal forest areas include aspen and spruce, along with damp, peaty areas. These are normally too wet to burn but several years of dry conditions have set the stage for this bizarre blaze. Ecologists studying the fire predict it will be a tougher recovery for the ecosystem than the average wildfire, with the roots of the trees burned and the soil scorched. As the forest recovers, different species of trees may take hold, which could affect the resident wildlife as they seek food and shelter.
Given the current conditions, the fire is expected to continue to burn for months, and the environmental impact of the Canadian wildfires will likely be much further reaching than what is immediately perceivable. When dry weather returns in the fall, smoldering embers could reignite. The good news is, to date, no deaths or injuries of local residents have been reported.
Featured Image from Caleb Cook/Unsplash
