A hot and dry early spring has threatened Canada’s prairies, where more than 100 wildfires have been burning since mid-May. Smoke has reduced air quality and visibility across the country and south of the border, creating serious health risks.
Last week, Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared province-wide states of emergency to manage the crisis. More than 25,000 people across the country have already been forced to evacuate, including 17,000 in Manitoba alone.
Our hearts are with all those who have been impacted, including CAPE members across the country. CAPE joins the community of Lac du Bonnet in mourning the two lives lost and we thank the first responders who are stepping up to protect and support those in need.
The past two years were the country’s worst two years for forest fires in history, and now 2025 looks to continue this trend. The devastation of these early-season fires should spur us all to true action to address the climate crisis. We need to protect this land that we call home for our communities today and the generations to come.
Donate today
If you are able, please consider donating to the Canadian Red Cross, which has launched the 2025 Manitoba Wildfires Appeal. Donations to the Canadian Red Cross will be used to assist those impacted in Manitoba with immediate and ongoing relief including financial assistance, support to evacuees and the communities hosting them, recovery and resilience efforts in response to the wildfires, as well as supporting community preparedness and risk reduction for future all-hazard disaster events within Manitoba.
Alternatively, you may want to donate to a different organization of your choice, to support those impacted by the forest fires in western Canada.
