Wildfire season 2025 has started in Canada: Two provinces have declared State of Emergency - Smoke is spreading over the continent again

Last Updated June 1st: 

The Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan have declared states of emergency after to a series of wildfires that have spread fast also in to the province of Alberta. Both premieres of the provinces describe the situation as unprecedented, and unlike anything ever experienced before.

Photo Credit:

The fire burning near Flin Flon, Manitoba., in an aerial photo from Tuesday. The city of 5,000 residents is among several communities under evacuation orders. (Photo handout from the Government of Manitoba)

The Canadian province of Manitoba declared a province wide State of Emergency on Wednesday June 28 due to rapidly spreading wildfires and extreme fire conditions in northern and eastern regions. 

A day later,May 29, the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan also declared a province wide State of Emergency. Evacuations and fires have also been reported in the province of Alberta, their western neighbour.   

In Saskatchewan 4,000 residents have also been evacuated. Premier Scott Moe described the conditions as some of the most severe the province has ever faced. He emphasized the unprecedented nature of the crisis, stating it rivals the worst emergencies in recent history.

According to NewsSky.com, Canada was battling around 175 wildfires as of Friday May 29. Out of those 95 were considered out of control which has prompting evacuations and a military response. Officials warned the situation is likely to deteriorate.

Two dead - the first wildfire victim's in Manitoba's recent history. 

Two people died last week near Lac du Bonnet, south of Nopiming. According to the Narhwal.ca, the couple were the first civilian wildfire deaths in Manitoba’s recent history.

The site recently published an article examining why Manitoba has become the "epicenter" of Canadian wildfires, when they have previously been almost exempt from large wildfires. 

Narwhal reporter Julia-Simone Rutgers asked experts those questions, and heard how climate change is fuelling a “perfect storm” of wildfire conditions: the longer an area goes without fire, the higher the risk. The result of no fires for a long time brings the risk of more intense and destructive fires becominglikely.

100 fires or more have consumed nearly 4,000 square kilometres of forest, an area approaching 10 times the size of Winnipeg. The 20-year average for this time of year is about 75 fires and 250 square kilometres burned, according to statistics from the National Forestry Database.

8 Alberta firefighters trapped by forest fires - thousands of Alberta residents evacuated

According to CBC News on May 30th, wild land firefighters were temporarily trapped in northern Alberta when wildfires burned across the province: the crew of 8 firefighters were forced to shelter in place while battling a wildfire in a remote northern Alberta community on Thursday. Wildfires had by then closed in on communities across the province, forcing thousands to flee. 

Canadian smoke already causing air quality alerts in six provinces, territories and the US

According to CTV News, the spread of wildfire smoke has triggered air quality alerts across six Canadian provinces and territories. Environment Canada has issued warnings covering vast areas of central Canada. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with parts of the Northwest Territories, western Ontario, and Labrador impacted.  

According to a CNN Newsletter, fires are also beginning to send hazardous smoke toward the US. 

Daniel Swain, a climate scientist and meteorologist at UCLA, stated that smoke from Canada had already reached Colorado, carried by favourable winds. He warned that the intense early-season fires will likely "have knock-on effects in the US later this fire season."

On Thursday, just over 160 wildfires were burning across Canada, and  they had at that point burned more than 1.56 million acres - which is 40% above the 10-year average for this point in the year. CNN quotes National Resources Canada, saying above-average fire weather severity is forecasted for most of Western Canada in June and July. 

Original post from June 29, 2025:

According to CBC news, Manitoba issued an emergency alert at 5:25 p.m. CT on Wednesday in response to rapidly spreading wildfires and extreme fire conditions in the northern and eastern regions of the province.

According to Reuters, Premier Wab Kinew announced that 17,000 people are being evacuated in what he called the largest evacuation within the province. 

"This is the largest evacuation in many Manitobans’ living memory and this will require significant resources and co-operation from all levels of government, Kinew said in a statement.

Wildfire service crew pulled back from the fire line already days ago

Already on Monday May 26, the Town of Lynn Lake said in an update that Manitoba Wildfire Service crews were pulled back from the fire line due to extreme conditions, including wind gusts of up to 55 km/h 

The town posted on  Facebook on Tuesday morning that residents and visitors must evacuate the community effective immediately. 

Wildfires in neighbouring province of Alberta affects oil production 

In the neighbouring province of Alberta, wildfires have led to temporary shutdowns of oil and gas production and forced evacuations in affected areas. Cenovus Energy has scaled back nonessential workers at its Foster Creek facility, part of the Bonnyville-Cold Lake oil sands region.

Another 1,600-hectare wildfire is burning 7 km north of Swan Hills, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 residents. Aspenleaf Energy has temporarily halted operations, shutting in 4,000 barrels per day of production as a precaution

A 2,900-hectare wildfire near Chipewyan Lake, about 130 km west of Fort McMurray, has prompted concerns, though officials say there is no immediate threat. Residents remain on one-hour evacuation notice due to shifting winds.

Photo Credit:

The fire burning near Flin Flon, Manitoba., in an aerial photo from Tuesday. The city of 5,000 residents is among several communities under evacuation orders. (Photo handout from the Government of Manitoba)