Manitoba declares provincewide state of emergency over wildfires

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.

"This is the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people's living memory," Kinew said during a Wednesday evening news conference.

It's believed to be the largest evacuation since 1997, when the "Flood of the Century" in the Red River valley forced about 25,000 people from their homes.

Evacuation orders have been issued for the city of Flin Flon, Pimicikamak Cree Nation and the northern community of Cross Lake, along with Pukatawagan Cree Nation, also known as Mathias Colomb First Nation, Kinew said. 

WATCH | Manitoba premier announces state of emergency:

The majority of the evacuees will head to Winnipeg, he said, and will be housed at large facilities such as community centres, soccer fields and arenas, he said.

Late Wednesday night, the province said a reception centre for evacuees is being set up at Billy Mosienko Arena on Keewatin Street and it will remain open all night.

Kinew said Prime Minister Mark Carney has accepted the province's request to have the Canadian Armed Forces step in to help. The military will be deployed to fly people to safety "in hours instead of days," the premier said.

The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days but may be extended if necessary, the province said in a news release.

"If you are in Flin Flon, please go to Winnipeg. If you are in Pimicikamak or Pukatawagan, listen to direction from your local leadership," Kinew said.

"This is a moment of fear and uncertainty. This is a moment of concern. But I want to tell you that your fellow Manitobans will welcome you. We will get through this difficult period and we'll get through this trying period the way that we always do: by working together."

The wildfire threatening Flin Flon, a city of roughly 5,000 that's about 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, started earlier this week at a landfill in Creighton, Sask., just across the provincial border, and spread into Manitoba. Kinew said he's spoken with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to ensure people on both sides of the border are taken care of amid health-care disruptions caused by the fire.