Wildfire smoke shrouds Alberta over holiday weekend

STORY: Record high temperatures and lack of rain this year have led to widespread fires burning nearly 2 million acres (830,000 hectares) of land in Alberta, about 10 times the size of the province's largest city, Calgary, according to Alberta Wildfire.

Ahead of the Victoria Day weekend, authorities closed some parks and campgrounds in Alberta, and are urging residents to avoid activities that pose wildfire risks, to avoid straining firefighting resources.

The long weekend, when residents traditionally go camping or enjoy other outdoor activities in warmer weather, usually sees an uptick in seasonal wildfires, some of which are accidentally caused by people.