Ottawa: More than 25,000 people have been forced to evacuate from wildfires in Canada, local media reported on Tuesday. According to the reports, more than 9,000 people have been evacuated from northern Saskatchewan, as the province’s premier Scott Moe said the number could reach 15,000 in the coming days, reports Dynamite News correspondent.
The Saskatchewan government declared a 30-day provincial state of emergency last week, while neighboring Manitoba did the same and issued mandatory evacuation orders for approximately 17,000 people.
More than 14,300 people have registered with the Canadian Red Cross as evacuees from the wildfires throughout Manitoba as of June 2, according to the province’s fire bulletin published on Tuesday. Wildfire smoke has triggered air quality alerts across Canada, with the heaviest smoke plumes above northwestern Ontario and central Manitoba.
The smoke has also spread into the upper Midwest in the United States, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. Satellite data also showed smoke crossing the Atlantic Ocean and entering parts of Europe, with more expected to arrive this week.
Canada’s Emergency Management Minister, Eleanor Olszewski, said on Tuesday that the federal government will match donations made to the Canadian Red Cross, with the funds allocated toward wildfire relief and disaster recovery.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center said Tuesday night that there were at least 203 active wildfires nationwide, and the number of out-of-control wildfires was 104. The number of wildfires in the country so far this year has reached 1,723, devouring roughly 22,000 square km of land.