Halifax (AP) – In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, several wildfires have spiraled out of control and caused thousands to flee. Northwest of the provincial capital Halifax, an area of ​​788 hectares is on fire, as announced by authorities on Monday evening (local time). This corresponds to approximately 1100 football pitches. About 16,400 people had to leave their homes, the city of Halifax said. According to estimates by the emergency services, around 200 buildings were damaged. There are no reports of injuries or missing.

According to the authorities, an area of ​​more than 6,000 hectares is also on fire in the south-west of the province. The fire is also out of control. Some buildings have been destroyed and damaged – but the exact number is not yet known. “The wildfire situation in Nova Scotia is incredibly serious,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter on Monday. He expressed his support for those affected and caregivers. “We stand ready to provide any necessary government support and assistance.”

Western Canada has also been battling wildfires for weeks. More than 546 fires have burned more than a million hectares of land in the province of Alberta this year, officials say. This is about two-thirds the size of Schleswig-Holstein. Authorities say the fires were caused by people in more than half of the cases, with 59 fires started by lightning strikes.

Given climate change, experts warn that the frequency and intensity of wildfires will increase. In Canada’s western prairie provinces, average temperatures have risen 1.9 degrees Celsius since the mid-20th century, according to the Canadian Environment and Climate Change Agency.

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