2.2 million hectares burned in Alberta wildfire season that blazed fast and furious early

Seventy-two wildfires were burning in Alberta on Friday, even as the province marked the official end of the wildfire season.

province declared a state of emergency. 

"I think the number of active wildfires we're seeing at the end of this wildfire season is higher than I can recall this time of year," said Derrick Forsythe, an information officer with Alberta Wildfire. "The amount of area burned this year was significantly higher than anything we've seen."