Move FM Global News

FLIN FLON, Manitoba: More than 25,000 people in three Canadian provinces have been forced to leave their homes because of wildfires, which were still burning on Sunday.

Officials said the fires are also worsening the air quality in parts of Canada and the United States.

Most of the people who had to leave were from Manitoba, where a state of emergency was declared last week. Over the weekend, about 17,000 people were evacuated from that province. In Alberta, around 1,300 people were evacuated, and in Saskatchewan, about 8,000 people had to leave their homes. Leaders in Saskatchewan warned that the number of evacuations could go up.

Smoke from the wildfires is making it harder to breathe and see clearly in parts of Canada and some U.S. states near the border. Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency warned over the weekend that “air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can change quickly over short distances and from hour to hour.” They also said that the health risks get worse as the smoke gets thicker.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said that help was coming from other provinces and U.S. states, including Alaska, Oregon, and Arizona. Firefighters, emergency workers, and aircraft were being sent to help fight the fires.

“We are truly grateful, and we stand stronger because of you,” Moe said in a post on social media.