‘We can barely breathe’: Canada declares emergency as 17,000 flee ‘largest evacuation’ in ‘living memory’

Manitoba authorities have declared a state of emergency as wildfires force the evacuation of 17,000 residents, marking an unprecedented crisis in the Canadian province that borders the United States. The emergency declaration will remain in effect for an initial period of 30 days as officials combat the spreading fires.

According to The Washington Post, the Manitoba Wildfire Service reports 102 wildfires in the province this year, significantly exceeding the average of 78 fires typically recorded by this time. The fires have already consumed 491,000 acres (199,000 hectares) of land in Manitoba alone, contributing to a broader crisis across Canada.

“We’re just kind of in a panic here,” said Elsaida Alerta, a resident of Flin Flon, one of the cities under mandatory evacuation orders. “The town is absolutely smoked out here… We can barely breathe,” she told CBC Radio as residents prepared to leave their homes. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew described the situation as “the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people’s living memory.”

Military assistance needed as smoke threatens US states

Due to the massive scale of the evacuation, military forces have been deployed to assist in the operation, with most evacuees being directed to Winnipeg, the provincial capital. Premier Kinew assured residents that fellow Manitobans would welcome those displaced, emphasizing the importance of working together through this challenging period.

The crisis extends beyond wildfire smoke into the Midwestern United States. Northern Minnesota faces the highest risk of poor air quality, while cities including Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit may experience reduced visibility and air quality by Friday afternoon and evening.

The situation in Manitoba is part of a larger wildfire crisis affecting Canada, with 158 active fires burning across the country. Of these, 83 are classified as out of control, with the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta experiencing the majority of the blazes. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that the federal government stands ready to Manitoba’s provincial wildfire teams.

Drought conditions in affected areas of Manitoba have exacerbated the situation, with no significant rainfall forecast for at least the next week. This crisis follows Canada’s worst wildfire season in modern history in 2023, when over 42 million acres burned, more than double the previous record. The increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme wildfires globally have been linked to climate change, with a recent study indicating that such events have doubled since 2003.