Mass Evacuations and Air Quality Crisis as Wildfires Rage Across Canada

More than 25,000 residents in Canada's provinces of Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan have been evacuated due to persistent wildfires affecting air quality across the region. Officials report the state of emergency declared in Manitoba has seen 17,000 residents relocated, with thousands more displaced across other areas.

The fires have worsened air quality, affecting several US border states. Saskatchewan's leadership highlights the critical need for weather changes to counteract the fires' progression, with limited resources for firefighting efforts. The US has dispatched aerial and ground support to assist Canadian efforts.

Evacuation centers have been overwhelmed with residents seeking refuge as hotels reach capacity. Manitoba's Indigenous leaders urge government intervention to prioritize housing for evacuees, marking it the largest provincial evacuation in decades as hazardous conditions persist.

(With inputs from agencies.)