Canada wildfire: Quebec sends firefighters and water bombers to aid Western Canada as wildfires force mass evacuations

Economic Times

4 days ago

AP A Quebec CL-415 water bomber, previously deployed in Labrador, now joins the fight against raging wildfires across Western Canada, as thousands flee their homes in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Quebec has stepped in to help neighbouring provinces battling severe wildfires, as flames driven by a late-May heat wave continue to spread across Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Premier François Legault announced on Sunday(June 1) that a specialized management team will head to Alberta on Tuesday, and three sections of 20 firefighters each will join Manitoba's efforts to contain the blazes. Two CL-415 water bombers from Quebec are already operating in Saskatchewan, while two others have been deployed to Ontario to assist where needed.
Also read: No rain in sight as Manitoba grapples with raging wildfires; 17,000 evacuated
Across the Prairies, extraordinarily hot, dry conditions have fueled more than 80 active fires. Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared states of emergency this week, and Alberta is juggling 51 fires that threaten both remote forests and oil operations.
In Manitoba alone, Premier Wab Kinew confirmed roughly 17,000 people have been forced to leave their homes as crews battle 23 active blazes in the north. In Saskatchewan, at least 4,000 residents were evacuated by May 28 as fires closed roads and crept toward small communities.In Winnipeg, evacuees streamed into repurposed shelters and friends' homes, uncertain where they would spend the night. 'It's hard on everybody,' said Richard Korte, a school maintenance technician who fled Flin Flon with his wife and disabled son.
From a temporary emergency shelter inside a hockey arena, evacuee Chris Schultz sat in his pickup with his dog, Stella, watching for friends and relatives arriving by bus. 'I might break out crying,' he admitted, 'but Stella makes life a bit easier for some of us.'
Also read: Out of control wildfire explodes across BC-Alberta border First Nations communities in northern Manitoba have felt an acute sense of urgency as fires surround isolated reserves. Some elders and people with mobility challenges have been airlifted to safety, though heavy smoke grounded at least one charter flight. Evacuees described frustration at long waits for bus rides and limited hotel space, prompting Indigenous leaders to call for priority accommodations in southern communities.
While Quebec has no active fires within its intensive protection zone and has lifted a ban on open fires in the north, Legault emphasized solidarity on social media. 'Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario are going through difficult times with forest fires. Premiers Scott Moe, Danielle Smith, Wab Kinew and Doug Ford can count on our help and that of SOPFEU. We are with you wholeheartedly,' he wrote, noting that Quebec's Public Safety Minister François Bonnardel is 'closely monitoring the situation here' and that recent rainfall prompted the decision to send aid .
Quebec's rapid response echoes mutual assistance calls from western premiers. 'We need to stay calm,' Kinew told reporters. 'We cannot thank other jurisdictions enough,' he said, referring to firefighting crews arriving from Quebec, Ontario, and the United States, which have dispatched air tankers and 150 firefighters to Manitoba.