Wildfires burning across central Canada force more people to evacuate

FLIN FLON Manitoba AP Roughly residents in the Canadian province of Manitoba have been evacuated because of nearly two dozen progressing wildfires authorities announced Saturday More than of those are from Flin Flon where there is no rain in the immediate forecast There have been no structure fires in the city located nearly kilometers miles northwest of the provincial capital of Winnipeg as of Saturday morning but officers worry that a change in wind direction could bring the fire into town Manitoba declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as the fires burning from the northwest to the southeast forced evacuations in several communities in the province directly north of the U S states of Minnesota and North Dakota Smoke from the fires is being pushed south into chosen parts of the U S worsening air quality Thousands have also been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta with people in the neighborhood of Swan Hills northwest of Edmonton forced from their homes Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe notified a news conference Saturday that ongoing hot dry weather is allowing particular fires to grow and threaten communities and that the current figure of fire evacuees could climb to Information to fight the fires and endorsement the evacuees are stretched thin Moe commented The next four to seven days are absolutely critical until we can find our way to changing weather patterns and ultimately a soaking rain throughout the north Moe stated The U S Department of Agriculture s Forest Facility announced Saturday it has deployed an air tanker to Alberta and the U S is sending firefighters and equipment like sprinkler kits pumps and hoses to Canada We are here to help our neighbors during their time of need and our Forest Amenity Wildland Firefighters are the best in the business I am thankful for the men and women who are bravely stepping up to serve U S Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L Rollins commented in a announcement In northern Manitoba fire knocked out power to the district of Cranberry Portage forcing a mandatory evacuation order Saturday for about residents People living in smaller nearby communities were recounted to prepare to evacuate after a fire jumped a highway Please start getting ready and making plans to stay with family and friends as accommodations are extremely limited Lori Forbes the urgency coordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey posted on social media Evacuation centers have opened across the province for those fleeing the fires including one as far south as Winkler Manitoba kilometers miles from the U S perimeter Evacuations that started earlier in the week for Pimicikamak Cree Nation ramped up Saturday when five flights were expected to take residents to Winnipeg The wildfire has crossed the main road and the area remains filled with smoke and ash Chief David Monias wrote on social media Winnipeg has opened up citizens buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees vacationers business people and convention-goers Manitoba s Indigenous leaders including Monias communicated a news conference on Saturday that hotel rooms in the cities where evacuees are arriving are full and they called on the ruling body to direct hotel owners to give evacuees priority Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson revealed it was one of the largest evacuations in the province since the s It s really sad to see our children having to sleep on floors People are sitting waiting in hallways waiting outside and right now we just need people to come together People are tired Wilson explained at the news conference We need to make sure that we have space for our people The fire menacing Flin Flon began Monday near Creighton Saskatchewan and rapidly jumped the boundary into Manitoba Crews have struggled to contain it Water bombers have been intermittently grounded due to heavy smoke and a drone incursion The or so residents of Creighton have also been ordered out multiple of whom have gone to nearby Nipawin Saskatchewan In total more than people have fled wildfires in Saskatchewan Canada s wildfire season runs from May through September Its worst-ever wildfire season was in It choked much of North America with dangerous smoke for months