More than twenty-five thousand residents have been forced to flee their homes across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta as dozens of wildfires continue to burn, sending thick smoke across the US border and severely impacting air quality.
Manitoba, the hardest-hit province, declared a state of emergency and evacuated around seventeen thousand people. Saskatchewan reported eight thousand evacuations, with numbers expected to rise, while Alberta has relocated approximately thirteen hundred residents.
Smoke from the fires is causing fluctuating air quality and visibility issues, posing significant health risks. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe warned that the coming week will be critical due to hot, dry conditions driving the fires’ spread. Reinforcements from other Canadian provinces and US states including Alaska, Oregon, and Arizona have arrived to assist firefighting efforts.
Flin Flon in Manitoba, with over five thousand evacuees, and Creighton in Saskatchewan remain among the most threatened communities. Efforts to control the fires have been hindered by thick smoke grounding aerial water bombers and a drone incursion disrupting operations.
The US Forest Service has deployed resources to Alberta, while parts of North Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, and South Dakota are experiencing “unhealthy” air quality levels due to smoke.
Evacuation centres in Manitoba are stretched as displaced residents compete for hotel space, prompting calls from Indigenous leaders to prioritise accommodations for evacuees.
Canada’s wildfire season typically lasts from May to September, with 2023 being the worst on record for smoke coverage across North America.
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