June 1, 2025 — Dozens of wildfires raging across Canada have forced more than 25,000 people to evacuate from three provinces, while deteriorating air quality is beginning to impact parts of both Canada and the United States, according to international news agencies.
The majority of evacuees are from Manitoba, where a state of emergency was declared last week. Over 17,000 residents have been displaced in that province alone. Meanwhile, more than 8,000 people have fled from Saskatchewan and an additional 1,300 from Alberta. Provincial leaders warn the number of evacuees could continue to rise as fires expand.
Smoke from the wildfires has significantly worsened air quality in multiple provinces and U.S. states. Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency reported that both air quality and visibility are fluctuating rapidly and must be monitored on an hourly basis. Health risks are increasing as smoke levels intensify.
Premier Scott Moe of Saskatchewan stated that persistent hot and dry conditions are fueling the fires, causing them to grow rapidly and threaten communities. He warned that firefighting resources are being stretched thin and could reach critical levels within the next four to seven days.
In Manitoba, wildfires have destroyed power lines in northern areas, triggering blackouts in communities such as Cranberry Portage, where around 600 residents have been evacuated. The town of Flin Flon, now under threat from a fire spreading from Saskatchewan, has seen over 5,000 people displaced.
To support Canada’s firefighting efforts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service has deployed one water tanker aircraft to Alberta and sent 150 firefighters with equipment. In the United States, air quality in states such as North Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, and South Dakota has dropped to “unhealthy” levels due to drifting smoke. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects at least two additional waves of smoke from Canada to sweep across parts of the U.S. this week.
Meanwhile, a wildfire along the Idaho state border in the U.S. has already scorched at least 100 acres. Authorities have closed some roads and ordered evacuations in the area. At least one structure has been destroyed, but the full extent of the damage remains unknown.
https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign/2861996
