Winnipeg: Canadian authorities announced the evacuation of more than 17,000 people in the central Canadian province of Manitoba due to severe forest fires in the north and east of the province.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Manitoba Premier Wab Quinault described the operation as “the largest evacuation in the province’s history” since the 1997 floods that forced 25,000 people to leave their homes. Quinault declared a state of emergency in the region, confirming the dispatch of a military aircraft to assist in evacuating residents from remote areas.

The region experienced approximately 200,000 hectares of forest damage in April, which is three times the annual average. Canada is currently facing 134 active fires across several provinces, including Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, with an anticipated more severe fire season due to the ongoing drought.