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Northern Manitobans fleeing wildfires head south

Winnipeg, Canada's provincial capital, scrambled Friday to provide housing and care to the thousands of people who fled areas devastated by wildfires.

Fires have erupted across large areas of the western part of Canada's North due to unusually dry and hot conditions. The flames are devouring hundreds of thousands hectares (hectares) of bushland and forest that is as dry as tinder.

"It's hard on everybody," said school maintenance technician Richard Korte, who had fled to Winnipeg from Flin Flon, a regional centre of 5,000 people on the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border, and wondered where his family would sleep that night.

Both the neighbouring provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in western Canada have declared states of emergencies to combat the fires that have spread across remote and sparsely populated areas.

Chris Schultz, an evacuee, sat in the cab with his dog Stella and hoped to see friends and family arriving at a Winnipeg temporary emergency shelter in a hockey hall.

Korte, his friend, had spent hours in the center trying to find housing for his entire family, which included his son with special needs, who cannot remain in an arena.

As fires approach, people from Indigenous communities in the north are fleeing and their few routes south are blocked. Several communities have evacuated the most vulnerable members of their community by air, but at least one airport has been closed due to smoke.

Manitoba Premier Wab Knew stated that about 17,000 Manitobans have fled the fires due to the hot, dry weather.

Kinew said in a Friday afternoon press conference, "We must stay calm." He thanked the U.S. and Quebec for sending 125 firefighters to Manitoba.

We cannot thank other jurisdictions for their support enough.

George Fontaine, the mayor of Flin Flon, said that the weather forecast indicated that the fire would likely blow into the town.

Fontaine told CBC News Network that such a scenario could be "very catastrophic".

According to data from the provinces, there are currently 23 active fires burning in Manitoba and fourteen in Saskatchewan. Alberta, which is a province that produces oil, also has 51 fires active. Oil companies are evacuating their workers.

Wildfires destroyed Jasper, an important tourist destination in the Canadian Rockies, last year.

Schultz warned that he could cry in his truck. He hoped that Stella, his dog, would bring a smile to the faces of his fellow evacuatees.

(source: Reuters)