Ottawa: Federal officials on Wednesday provided an update regarding wildfires which are burning in the country.
During the update, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair, Defence Minister Anita Anand and Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu were present.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau thanked first responders and firefighters who have been making efforts to control wildfires across the country.
Bill Blair said with more than 400 wildfires burning across Canada, millions of people in several provinces and states are dealing with heavy smoke.
Bill Blair said there are 239 wildfires that are considered out-of-control, with firefighters working to rein in the flames as best they can.
Blair said the government will be studying all available options for creating a new national disaster response agency, as Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season in history.
Meanwhile, officials in Quebec said the number of evacuees from fire-affected regions in the province is expected to rise to more than 15,000 by the end of the day.
About 11,400 people in Quebec have already been forced from their homes because of persistent and unpredictable wildfires.
Quebec’s forest fire prevention agency said more than 150 forest fires are burning, and nearly 100 of them are considered out of control. — With Canadian Press