Thousands evacuated in 3 provinces as Canadian wildfires threaten air quality into some US states

FLIN FLON Manitoba AP More than residents in three provinces have been evacuated as dozens of wildfires remained developing Sunday and diminished air quality in parts of Canada and the U S according to functionaries Majority of the evacuated residents were from Manitoba which declared a state of emergency last week About people there were evacuated by Saturday along with in Alberta About people in Saskatchewan had been relocated as leaders there warned the number could climb Smoke was worsening air quality and reducing visibility in Canada and into chosen U S states along the confines Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour Saskatchewan s Populace Safety Agency warned Sunday As smoke levels increase strength risks increase Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe mentioned ongoing hot dry weather is allowing various fires to grow and threaten communities and materials to fight the fires and patronage the evacuees are stretched thin The next four to seven days are absolutely critical until we can find our way to changing weather patterns and ultimately a soaking rain throughout the north Moe declared at a Saturday news conference In Manitoba more than of those evacuated are from Flin Flon located nearly kilometers miles northwest of the provincial capital of Winnipeg In northern Manitoba fire knocked out power to the region of Cranberry Portage forcing a mandatory evacuation order Saturday for about residents The fire menacing Flin Flon began a week ago near Creighton Saskatchewan and fleetly jumped the boundary into Manitoba Crews have struggled to contain it Water bombers have been intermittently grounded due to heavy smoke and a drone incursion The U S Department of Agriculture s Forest Function deployed an air tanker to Alberta and disclosed it would send firefighters and equipment to Canada In chosen parts of the U S air quality reached unhealthy levels Sunday in North Dakota and small swaths of Montana Minnesota and South Dakota according to the U S Environmental Protection Agency s AirNow page We should expect at least a couple more rounds of Canadian smoke to come through the U S over the next week noted Bryan Jackson a meteorologist with the National Weather Utility in the U S Separately a fire in the U S frontier state of Idaho burned at least acres hectares as of Sunday prompting road closures and particular evacuations according to the Idaho Department of Lands The agency commented in a news release that at least one structure was burned but did not provide additional details about the damage Strong gusty winds of to mph to kph and steep terrain were making it complex for firefighters battling the fire which ignited Saturday Evacuation centers have opened across Manitoba for those fleeing the fires one as far south as Winkler kilometers miles from the U S confines Winnipeg opened up constituents buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees vacationers business people and convention-goers Manitoba s Indigenous leaders mentioned Saturday at a news conference that hotel rooms in the cities where evacuees are arriving are full and they called on the executive to direct hotel owners to give evacuees priority Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson revealed it was one of the largest evacuations in the province since the s It s really sad to see our children having to sleep on floors People are sitting waiting in hallways waiting outside and right now we just need people to come together People are tired Wilson noted at a news conference Canada s wildfire season runs from May through September Its worst-ever wildfire season was in It choked much of North America with dangerous smoke for months