Over 20,000 people evacuated in Canada due to wildfires

More than 20,000 residents of Canada’s Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces had to leave their homes due to wildfires, the CTV channel reported.

According to the news outlet, Manitoba was affected the most, where evacuation orders were issued to 17,000 people, including all 6,000 residents of the town of Flin Flon and its environs.

Over 5,000 residents have already had to leave their homes in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The evacuees are also being airlifted to major cities such as Winnipeg in Manitoba and Saskatoon in Saskatchewan.

Manitoba has declared a provincewide state of emergency as wildfires continue to threaten communities across the province. 

An emergency alert issued at around 5:25 p.m. CT Wednesday said the measure was due to rapidly spreading wildfires and extreme fire conditions in northern and eastern Manitoba.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the "significant step" will involve the evacuation of about 17,000 people as fires continued to intensify throughout Wednesday.

There has been no information on casualties or damage.