About 8,000 Evacuated in Canada Over Wildfires - Reports

The evacuation of 7,900 residents in the the Canadian province of Saskatchewan was triggered by a rash of wildfires.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Nearly 8,000 people have been evacuated in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan due to wildfires, СBC News reported.

Up to 5,000 of the evacuees will be transported hundreds of kilometers away to a refuge in Cold Lake city in neighboring northeastern Alberta province, CBC said Saturday.

The evacuation of 7,900 residents remaining in the area was triggered by a rash of wildfires, Saskatchewan’s Premier Brad Wall said at a press conference.

He also held consultations with Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who pledged to provide assistance in countering the massive blazes.

"The prime minister was very accommodating and willing to make sure that, upon official request, the resources are there," Wall was quoted as saying by СBС News.

As of Saturday, entry to the La Ronge town in Saskatchewan was restricted, while Montreal Lake community about 74 miles south of La Ronge declared a state of emergency due to the intense wildfires.

A total number of active fires reached 114, after nine new wildfires have flared up in the province’s north since Friday.