Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows West Kiskatinaw River wildfire in British Columbia, Canada, June 9, 2023 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. BC Wildfire Service via Facebook/via REUTERS

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home.

Canada is enduring its most destructive start to wildfire season, with about 4.8 million hectares (48,000 square kilometers) - an area larger than the Netherlands in western Europe - already burnt.