As of June 1, wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have led to the evacuation of over 25,000 residents, with Manitoba seeing the largest displacement in its recent history.
In Manitoba, approximately 17,000 residents have been forced from their homes due to 22 active wildfires across the province. Flin Flon, a city located 644 km (400 miles) northwest of Winnipeg, accounts for over 5,000 evacuees, as concerns mount over potential wind shifts that could push fires closer to the town.
The situation escalated on May 29 when Manitoba declared a state of emergency, and two fatalities have already been reported in a small community affected by the fires.
Across the border in Saskatchewan, around 8,000 individuals have been displaced, with Premier Scott Moe warning that the number could rise to 10,000. The community of Pelican Narrows saw the evacuation of 4,000 residents, while Sturgeon Landing and other northern First Nations communities also faced mandatory evacuation orders. The hot, dry weather is exacerbating the fire situation, further straining firefighting resources. In response, Saskatchewan has also declared a state of emergency to mobilize support for the affected areas.
Alberta has reported around 1,300 evacuees from the area near Swan Hills, northwest of Edmonton.
In the Pimicikamak Cree Nation, the need for evacuations increased on May 31, with five flights transporting residents to Winnipeg. Chief David Monias reported the wildfire had crossed a main road, leaving the area shrouded in smoke and ash. Due to full hotels in receiving cities, evacuees are currently being accommodated in public buildings in Winnipeg and other locations, while evacuation centers have also been set up in Winkler, located 19 km (12 miles) from the U.S. border.
Saskatchewan is deploying significant firefighting resources, including 220 level-three firefighters and 410 Indigenous firefighters from northern First Nations. The province has also received support in the form of water bombers from Yukon, Quebec, Alaska, and Oregon, contributing to aerial suppression efforts.
Notably, the fire near Flin Flon began in Creighton, Saskatchewan, on May 27 and has since crossed into Manitoba, complicating containment measures. Ground operations have faced challenges due to heavy smoke and a drone incursion that has intermittently grounded water bombers.
Indigenous communities in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are particularly affected by limited transportation infrastructure. To assist with evacuations in remote areas, the Canadian Armed Forces have been called in, with federal support previously approved on May 29 for Manitoba’s Pimicikamak and Mathias Colomb Cree Nations.
Indigenous leaders in Manitoba report that hotel accommodations in receiving cities are failing to meet the demand, with evacuees being forced to sleep in hallways or on floors. Grand Chief Kyra Wilson is advocating for prioritizing accommodations for evacuees.
The total area burned in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan has surpassed 688,000 hectares (1.7 million acres), with Manitoba reporting 171,718 hectares burnt, significantly above its ten-year average of 51,763 hectares (127,909 acres). In comparison, Saskatchewan has experienced 206 wildfires in 2025 alone, compared to a five-year average of 125.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre raised the national preparedness level to 5 on May 29, indicating extreme wildfire activity. Across Canada, 1,267 active fires are currently burning, with 96 classified as out of control.
Moreover, smoke from these wildfires is impacting large portions of the central and eastern United States, as well as parts of eastern Canada, prompting air quality alerts in at least 15 U.S. states and significant areas of Ontario and Quebec.
Public health officials are warning residents to limit outdoor activities and take necessary precautions as the smoke persists into early June.
image source from：https://watchers.news/2025/06/01/wildfires-canada-evacuations-smoke-united-states/
