More than 17,000 people in western Manitoba, Canada, were being evacuated on Wednesday as the province faced one of its worst wildfire seasons in years.
Premier Wab Kinew said the Manitoba government had declared a state of emergency across the province because of the fires. “This is the largest evacuation most people in Manitoba have ever seen,” he said at a news conference.
Kinew has asked Prime Minister Mark Carney to send in the Canadian military to help. Military planes will soon begin flying people out of northern communities that are in danger. More firefighting help is also on the way.
Wildfires in Canada have been getting worse and happening more often because of climate change. Last year, in 2023, Canada experienced its most destructive wildfire season ever.
There are currently 134 active wildfires across the country, including in provinces like British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. Half of these fires are out of control.
In the town of Flin Flon, around 5,000 people were warned to be ready to leave at any moment. The fire is getting close to the town, which was named after a fictional character in an old book.
People in other small and remote communities, including Indigenous communities, have also been told to leave. Most evacuees are being sent to Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba.
One evacuee, Sheryl Matheson, said fires surrounded her hometown of Sherridon. “It’s been overwhelming,” said Matheson, who owns a fishing lodge. “It was very smoky. You could see the fires only 4 or 5 kilometers away, and they were moving fast.” She added that the flames were over 120 feet high and that firefighters couldn’t get close.
Another resident, Elsaida Alerta, told CBC that she felt very anxious as she prepared to leave Flin Flon. “I’ve never had to evacuate before. It’s scary,” she said. The only highway out of Flin Flon was packed with cars, and gas stations had run out of fuel. “We just grabbed our important stuff and what our pets need and are hoping for the best.”
Premier Kinew said the fires are happening all over Manitoba, not just in one area. “This shows how our climate is changing, and we will have to learn how to deal with it,” he said.
There are currently 22 wildfires burning in Manitoba alone. In just the last month, about 200,000 hectares of forest have burned—three times more than the average for the last five years, according to wildfire expert Kirstin Hayward.
“Right now, Manitoba has the most wildfire activity in all of Canada,” Hayward said. She explained that the fires are worse this year because of long stretches of hot, dry weather.
Earlier in the week, 1,000 people from Lynn Lake and Marcel Colomb First Nation and 4,000 from Pelican Narrows and nearby areas in Saskatchewan were also evacuated.
A firefighter was badly hurt after being hit by a falling tree while working on the fire. He is now in the hospital.
Premier Kinew said emergency shelters are being opened and asked businesses and communities across Manitoba to welcome people who had to leave their homes.
Earlier this month, two people in Lac du Bonnet died when they got trapped by a wildfire northeast of Winnipeg.
