Overview

• Manitoba declared a province-wide state of emergency on May 28 after nearly 200,000 hectares burned, triple the five-year average.
• Saskatchewan followed on May 29 with its own emergency declaration and evacuated over 4,000 residents from northern First Nations communities.
• Canadian military aircraft and personnel are aiding rapid evacuations from remote areas, relocating evacuees to shelters and centres in Winnipeg.
• Across Canada, more than 160 wildfires remain active—over half are out of control—and Alberta has halted some oil and gas operations due to nearby blazes.
• Fire officials link the unprecedented early-season intensity to prolonged drought and rising temperatures driven by climate change.