Canada has been grappling with a massive wildfire crisis in recent days. The provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are particularly hard-hit, facing what firefighters have described as “monster” fires. As a result, residents have been continuously evacuating their homes.
The government has declared a state of emergency due to the more than 200 wildfires burning across the country—100 of which are out of control.
On Wednesday (June 4, 2025), seven new fires broke out.
Nationwide, over 31,000 residents have been forced to evacuate, many seeking refuge in areas hundreds of kilometers away.
Just one of the fires has already destroyed 470,000 hectares (4.7 million stremmata) of vegetation and remains uncontained. A second fire, further west and also out of control, has scorched 140,000 hectares (1.4 million stremmata).
Firefighters from across the country—with the entire force on high alert—are battling the blazes, aided by around 140 colleagues sent from the United States.
At the same time, photos shared on social media showing the fires’ devastating effects in Canada have shocked and horrified viewers.
The fires have also impacted the United States, where a third of the sky was covered with smoke and ash.
Due to climate change and rising global temperatures, Canada is increasingly confronted with extreme weather events and natural disasters, such as the massive wildfires seen in recent years.
In 2023, the North American country experienced the worst wildfire season in its history.
However, the start of this year’s fire season has deeply alarmed Canadian authorities due to its intensity: 22 million stremmata (2.2 million hectares) of vegetation have already burned—an area larger than the entire country of Slovenia.
