VIDEO: Massive Wildfires Force Thousands to Flee in Saskatchewan

Among the many wildfires currently roiling Alaska, Washington and other parts of North America is a series of smoke-spewing infernos that have forced about 3,000 people from their homes in several communities in the northern region of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

Dramatic footage of one of the fires posted by a Facebook user appears above.

The Weather Network reports:

Premier Brad Wall told the Canadian Press on Tuesday that the number could be as high as 5,000, and the province has already burned through its entire firefighting budget for the year.

Wall was forced to cancel an aerial tour of the affected areas, due to visibility issues from the dense smoke, which has combined with that of fires from Alaska and the Northwest Territories to blow down into the United States as far as the Midwest.

That oppressive smoke prompted Environment Canada to continue its air quality advisory for the entire province of Saskatchewan, mirrored with similar advisories in the Northwest Territories and parts of Alberta, although Manitoba is no longer included.

“Smoke near the ground may cause potentially high health risk conditions,” Environment Canada says. “The smoke is expected to persist over the next couple of days as winds will remain from the northwest and little to no precipitation is expected to flush out the smoke and haze. Conditions may be somewhat better today as winds shift slightly more to the west.”