The Canadian military was preparing on Saturday to evacuate a remote community of about 600 residents threatened by rapidly spreading wildfires, as smoke from the blazes continued to blanket large parts of Canada and the United States.
Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Eleanor Olszewski said the armed forces would use aircraft to evacuate residents of Fort Hope in northwestern Ontario, where some of the country’s most intense wildfires are burning.
The remote region has limited road access and depends heavily on air transport. Thousands of people have already been evacuated from affected communities to cities farther south in Ontario.
Large wildfires have become an increasingly frequent annual occurrence in Canada, which is home to some of the world’s largest forested areas. Climate experts say rising temperatures have created drier conditions, increasing the risk and intensity of forest fires.
Canada’s Department of Natural Resources said on Saturday that 69 new wildfires had been reported overnight, bringing the total number of active fires nationwide to 955.