State of Emergency and Evacuations Due to Wildfires in Canadian Province Manitoba

The Canadian province of Manitoba has declared a state of emergency due to wildfires, forcing at least 17,000 people to evacuate. This is the largest evacuation of the century, according to Premier Kinew of the central province.

Residents of the city of Flin Flon, along with several Indigenous communities, are being evacuated. Most evacuees are being relocated to the capital city of Winnipeg, where they are being housed in community centers and football stadiums.

The Canadian Prime Minister Carney has approved the provincial government's request to deploy the military to Manitoba. Soldiers will assist with evacuations using helicopters. The state of emergency will remain in effect for at least thirty days and may be extended if necessary.

The fire began earlier this week in Creighton, in the neighboring province of Saskatchewan, and spread across the border toward Flin Flon. It has now grown to cover approximately 20,000 hectares and is within 2 kilometers of Flin Flon.