Oil spared from Canadian wildfires

The latest flare-up in wildfires in western Canada did not impact oil production as earlier outbreaks did, a provincial spokesperson in Alberta said.

Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest are spilling across international borders, with smoke and flames visible from California to North Dakota. In Canada, provincial response teams in British Columbia and Saskatchewan are battling around 100 fires.

In Alberta, provincial officials estimate more than 1,289 fires scorched at least 91,000 acres. Of those, 1,196 fires have been extinguished, including more than 80 in the last week.

Alberta figures large in Canada's oil-based economy. Shannon Greer, a provincial spokesperson, said in response to emailed questions the sector was so far unscathed.

"I have spoken to my colleagues in the Ministry of Energy and no disruptions in oil production have been reported," she said.

Producers Canadian Natural Resources and Cenovus Energy curbed production, closed facilities and evacuated staff from Alberta operations during wildfire outbreaks earlier this year.

Fires were as close to three miles from Cenovus operations, though provincial authorities said there was no immediate risk to its infrastructure.

Operational closures in response to the fire threat in Alberta cost Canadian Natural Resources close to 100,000 barrels of oil per day in production.

Data from the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System show high risk areas spreading from the western Canadian coast to central Alberta.