Mass evacuations in Canada due to growing wildfires

Thursday 29 May 2025 - 10:03

By: Zahouani Ilham

Mass evacuations in Canada due to growing wildfires

Canada is facing one of its worst wildfire seasons on record. In Manitoba, a central province, approximately 17,000 residents were being evacuated on May 28 as their homes were threatened by flames reaching over 30 meters high.

The impact of climate change has led to an increase in extreme weather events in Canada, including large-scale wildfires. Following the worst wildfire season in 2023, 2025 appears to be on a similar trajectory.

Manitoba’s Premier, Wab Kinew, described this as the largest evacuation operation in recent memory and declared a state of emergency for the entire region. Military aviation was expected to deploy resources immediately to assist residents in remote areas.

The evacuation orders included Flin Flon, where 5,000 people were urged to be ready to leave at any moment due to the advancing fires near the mining town. Local resident Sheryl Matheson described the situation as overwhelming, noting heavy smoke and rapidly spreading fires visible several kilometers away. She reported flames towering more than 30 meters, with firefighters unable to get close enough to contain the blaze.

Evacuees were relocated as far as 800 kilometers away, with many expected to be sent to Winnipeg, Manitoba’s capital. Other remote communities, including Indigenous settlements, were also ordered to evacuate. Earlier in May, two people trapped by fires died in the province.

Currently, Canada is battling 134 active wildfires across several provinces, including Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Premier Kinew emphasized that the widespread nature of these fires signals a changing climate to which the country must adapt. Manitoba alone has 22 active fires, with nearly 200,000 hectares burned in the last month triple the region’s average annual total.

Kirstin Hayward, from Manitoba’s wildfire management service, confirmed that the province has experienced the highest fire activity in Canada so far this year. Authorities forecast that wildfire activity may remain above normal in central and western Canada through June and July, escalating well beyond average levels in August, driven by severe drought conditions affecting many areas.