The Lac La Ronge Indian Band ordered evacuations from more of its communities as wildfires moved dangerously close Thursday.

In the upper Midwest of the United States, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota have issued air quality warnings as smoke from the Prairie wildfires is dragged south by a cold front. Those warnings expanded into the Northeast, causing some hazy skies.

In an ominous reminder of the summer of 2023, Canada’s worst wildfire season on record, smoke from the wildfires has been impacting air quality in several US states. The smoke has also billowed across the Atlantic and caused hazy skies in parts of western Europe.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is resisting an Opposition call to bring in the military to combat wildfires that have forced thousands from their homes.

In Saskatchewan, officials on Wednesday reported 24 active fires. They said there have been 243 wildfires so far this fire season, well above the five-year average of 135. With such high numbers of fires, and three weeks of no appreciable rain, this season has made for a complex time with fires impacting populated areas.

If you are in Saskatoon, you can register in-person by visiting the Cosmo Civic Centre, located at 3130 Laurier Drive. Review the step-by-step Canadian Red Cross Guide to Wildfire Recovery for information on what to do when you return home after wildfires.

As northern Saskatchewan continues to grapple with widespread wildfires, small-town fire departments across the province are banding together, many through a central hub in Warman.

Wildfires in northern Saskatchewan have gutted homes, buildings and cars in several communities, including La Ronge, Denare Beach and Sucker River, with locals saying the charred scenes look ‘like a war zone.