Canada wildfires: 17,000 forced to evacuate as forest fires rage across Manitoba
Devastating forest fires force 17,000 residents to flee from homes
- A state of emergency has been declared in Manitoba, Canada, due to fast-moving wildfires, leading to the evacuation of 17,000 people and a request for military support.
- The complete evacuation of Flin Flon, a city of nearly 5,000 residents near the Saskatchewan border, was ordered after winds shifted, pushing flames dangerously close to the community.
- Manitoba has reported more than 100 wildfires this year, surpassing the seasonal average, with 22 currently active and fueled by hot, dry conditions.
- Evacuations have extended into Saskatchewan, with the town of Creighton also ordering residents to leave, and emergency shelters have been set up in nearby cities to accommodate evacuees.
- Nearly 200,000 hectares of land have burned this year, triple the five-year annual average, with officials linking the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires to climate change.