<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Authorities in the western Canadian province of Alberta battling devastating wildfires have closed twelve local parks ahead of the long holiday weekend, fearing fresh flames, officials said Friday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Alberta has declared a state of emergency and asked for foreign aid with more than 800,000 hectares of land destroyed in fires and thousands of people evacuated since the beginning of the month.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, there were 94 active forest fires in the province, 26 of which were out of control, according to officials.</div><div><br></div><div>The situation was also dire in neighboring British Columbia with 22 out-of-control fires and dozens of evacuation orders issued.</div><div><br></div><div>All of Alberta's 12 parks will be closed, state officials announced. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>