As of Sunday, authorities had evacuated over 25,000 residents across three provinces due to ongoing wildfires, which had affected air quality in parts of Canada and the US.
The majority of evacuees are from Manitoba, where a state of emergency was declared last week. By Saturday, around 17,000 people in Manitoba and 1,300 in Alberta had been evacuated, along with approximately 8,000 in Saskatchewan, with these numbers expected to rise.
The wildfires have caused poor air quality and reduced visibility in affected areas in both countries. On Sunday, Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency warned that air quality and visibility could change rapidly due to smoke from the fires, leading to increased health risks.
Scott Moe, the Premier of Saskatchewan, emphasised the critical nature of the situation, stating that hot and dry weather conditions have allowed fires to spread and threaten communities. At a news conference on Saturday, he stated that resources to combat the fires and assist evacuees are currently stretched thin.
Over 5,000 residents have been evacuated in Flin Flon, Manitoba, after a fire started near Creighton, Saskatchewan, a week ago and crossed into Manitoba. Firefighting efforts have been challenging, with water bombers facing obstacles due to heavy smoke and drone interference.
The U.S. Forest Service has provided assistance by deploying an air tanker to Alberta and planning to send 150 firefighters and equipment to Canada. In the US, areas of North Dakota, Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota reported unhealthy air quality levels on Sunday due to smoke from wildfires.
Additionally, a wildfire in Idaho has burned at least 100 acres as of Sunday, prompting road closures and evacuations. Strong winds and rugged terrain are complicating firefighting efforts.
Across Manitoba, evacuation centres have been set up, including one in Winkler, near the U.S. border. Winnipeg has opened public buildings to accommodate evacuees as hotels are already full of people displaced by the fires, as well as travellers.
Indigenous leaders in Manitoba have expressed concern about the lack of available hotel rooms for evacuees and are urging the government to prioritise accommodation for those displaced by the fires. Grand Chief Kyra Wilson of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs described this evacuation as one of the largest in the province since the 1990s.
‘It is disheartening to witness our children being forced to sleep on the floor. People are waiting in hallways and outside; we urgently need everyone to come together. People are exhausted,” she expressed during a press briefing. Canada’s wildfire season spans from May to September, and the 2023 season was one of the most devastating, spreading hazardous smoke across North America for months. Additional reporting by Julie Walker of the Associated Press in New York.
