A growing wildfire emergency has prompted Saskatchewan to declare a provincial state of emergency as fast-moving blazes continue to force evacuations across Western Canada. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said the current wildfire conditions in the province are “as severe or quite likely unlike anything we have faced in quite some time, if not ever.”
As of Saturday afternoon, 16 wildfires were active in Saskatchewan, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. Of those, seven are not contained, five are under control, three are being closely monitored, and one is threatening property and infrastructure.
Thousands have fled their homes under emergency orders in Saskatchewan and neighbouring Manitoba, which declared its own state of emergency earlier this week after evacuating over 17,000 residents. Wildfires are also actively burning in Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported more than 160 wildfires burning nationwide, with 84 considered “out of control.”
In response to the crisis, the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan (MN–S) also declared a state of emergency and committed to supporting displaced families. MN–S President Glen McCallum emphasized the urgency and human toll of the situation.
“These wildfires are spreading so unpredictably, and citizens are being evacuated with little or no notice and no destination in place,” McCallum said. “We must be able to respond to their needs so that when they arrive at safe locations, they are welcomed with as many comforts from home as we can provide.”
MN–S is offering culturally grounded support services, emergency supplies, and temporary shelter for evacuees.
Meanwhile, smoke from the wildfires is drifting across provincial and international borders, triggering air quality alerts in Saskatchewan and parts of the United States, including Minnesota, Michigan, and Illinois.
As the fires intensify, authorities urge residents to remain alert and follow evacuation instructions. The Canadian Armed Forces have been deployed in Manitoba to assist with evacuations and firefighting efforts.
This emergency follows Canada’s worst wildfire season on record in 2023, and scientists continue to link these intensifying fire seasons to the effects of climate change.
