Wildfires have prompted provincial authorities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to declare a state of emergency, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. The evacuation order affects 17,000 people, the largest in Manitoba’s history.
The situation is worsening with wildfires burning over 491,000 acres (199,000 hectares) so far this year. Nearly 160 wildfires are currently burning across Canada, mostly out of control.
The military will assist in evacuations due to their scale, and most residents will be relocated to Winnipeg, the provincial capital. The state of emergency will last for 30 days.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has offered support to Manitoba’s wildfire teams, while Premier Wab Kinew has expressed concern about the situation. Abnormal dry conditions and no significant rainfall forecast have exacerbated the issue.
The western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta are also experiencing severe wildfires, with over 1.54 million acres (623,256 hectares) burned so far this year. Canada’s worst wildfire season in modern history was seen in 2023, with more than 42 million acres burned due to climate change.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2025/05/29/canada-wildfires-manitoba-flin-flon-emergency