The Alberta government said hot, dry and windy conditions fueling the northern wildfires aren’t going away soon and will make fighting them difficult, so people need to prepare themselves.

“This fight is going to be a tough one,” said Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s minister of agriculture and forestry. “The weather is not co-operating for the long-distance forecast for the next two weeks. It’s more of the same.”

“Albertans need to prepare themselves for this situation for the foreseeable future.”

READ MORE: Wildfire evacuation alerts and orders in place across the province

Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says Alberta has asked for Canadian Forces assistance and the federal government has accepted the request.

Goodale says the military will be ready to help airlift evacuees as needed, as well as transport supplies and provide medical assistance.

WATCH: Wildfires continue to ravage parts of northern Alberta and one of the blazes is burning near the town of Manning. Julia Wong has the latest.

He says federal officials are working with counterparts in Alberta to co-ordinate the response.

The province is slightly under the five-year average for number of fires. But the amount of land burned is more than 3.5 times higher.

WATCH: Residents in Trout Lake were forced from their homes Friday as a wildfire burned close to the area. Kent Morrison has more from the Red Creek Earth evacuation centre.

Evacuation orders

The wildfires raging across the northern part of the province have forced about 10,000 people from their homes — double the number from the beginning of the week.

“We began the day [Wednesday] with approximately 5,500 evacuees and we currently have over 10,000,” Dreeshen said in an update Thursday afternoon, after a day of hot temperatures and gusty winds led to the explosive growth of several blazes burning out-of-control.

About 5,000 people have been out of their homes in and around High Level in northwestern Alberta for more than a week. This week even more people from that region, as well as from near a separate wildfire by Manning about 250 kilometres to the south, were told they had to leave.

Watch below: Julia Wong has an update on the wildfire situation near Manning, Alta.

The wildfire threatening Manning is called the Battle Complex Fire. As of Friday, it was about 52,000 hectares and still several kilometres to the northwest of Manning. Shifting winds and thick smoke remain big challenges for firefighers, who have come from as far away as Kenora and Timmins to help.

Many of the evacuees from those two large wildfires travelled south to Peace River. After an influx of evacuees on Wednesday, the town said hotel rooms were at capacity and was recommending new evacuees head to a reception centre in High Prairie.

A series of smaller communities, including Wabasca, the Bigstone Cree Nation and Chipewyan Lake Village, have fallen under evacuation orders since Wednesday as a two out-of-control fires – Maria Lake and McMillan Complex – merge together.

READ MORE: Northern Alberta MD of Opportunity communities ordered to evacuate overnight due to wildfires

Where are all the wildfires?

Hundreds of structural and forest firefighters are in Alberta from across Canada doing their best to corral the flames. Across the province, there were 28 active fires and nine were considered out-of-control.

Of the wildfires, there are three main ones affecting communities:

The far northwestern Chuckegg Creek wildfire near High Level

The Battle Complex wildfire near Manning in the Peace River region

The McMillan Complex wildfire north of Slave Lake

BELOW: Map of the wildfires burning in Alberta as of noon on Friday, May 31, 2019

The biggest blaze is the Chuckegg Creek fire raging near High Level, which covered 2,600 square kilometres Friday.

READ MORE: Alberta wildfires grow ‘significantly’; blaze near High Level surges in size to 2,300 square kilometres

Homes destroyed in Paddle Prairie

An official with the Metis Settlements General Council says 15 homes and two community buildings in the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement have been destroyed by that fire and 80 more are at risk.

Paddle Prairie is located about 70 kilometres south of High Level and 30 kilometres north of the County of Northern Lights. About 800 people live in the settlement.

Blake Desjarlais, the council’s director of public and national affairs, says fire authorities confirmed the number late Thursday after surveying the evacuated Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement.

The homes are widely scattered in the settlement’s northeast, but Desjarlais says Paddle Prairie’s hamlet about five kilometres away is also at risk and the total number of properties destroyed could rise depending on fire conditions.

He says none of the homes were insured and it’s hoped the Alberta government will bring in modular housing to accommodate displaced owners.

“It’s like a burnt piece of toast up there,” said Desjarlais as he described the path of destruction in Paddle Prairie. “The whole land has been scorched.”

Bison and cattle ranchers have also had to turn their animals loose.

“They had to release them and they don’t know the status of their animals,” Desjarlais said. “That fire would have chased them really, really far away or they wouldn’t have made it out of the fire at all.”

READ MORE: Northern Alberta Métis settlement frustrated with level of government support for wildfire threat

Desjarlais said local residents are upset they didn’t get more notice to prepare to leave.

“They honestly feel that if they had been given more evacuation notice they would have been able to get pets, they would have been able to get valuables.”

BELOW: Photos from Paddle Prairie

Premier Jason Kenney said Friday he was very sorry to hear homes had been lost in the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement and that the province would work community leaders to “address their issues urgently.

“I hope to speak with the settlement leader myself,” he said.

Fire destroys home in Mackenzie County

On Friday afternoon, the Town of High Level shared a Facebook post on behalf of the Mackenzie County Incident Command Centre in which it acknowledged a home there had been consumed by fire.

“We were saddened to hear one of the homes in the Blue Hills area of Mackenzie County has been lost to the fire,” reads the post, which was attributed to Joshua Knelsen.

“The deepest sympathy of our entire county goes out to the members of our community who lost their home,” the post goes on to say. “I spoke with them last night and we will do our best to support them as much as we can.”

Knelsen also expressed sympathy of those who lost homes in the Métis settlement of Paddle Prairie.

Slave Lake on evacuation standby

People in Slave Lake, a town that was partially destroyed in a 2011 blaze, have been told to be prepared to leave with eight hours notice because of a fire that the mayor says is burning about 30 kilometres away.

While an evacuation order was issued Thursday afternoon for the hamlet of Marten Beach, about 20 kilometres north of Slave Lake, Slave Lake Mayor Tyler Warman said the 1,800-square-kilometre fire was not an immediate threat to his community.

However, Alberta Wildfire said heavy smoke Thursday over the wildfires in the Slave Lake forest area reduced the “fire behaviour intensity.” As of 1 p.m. Friday, “overall fire behaviour of these wildfires was low to moderate, and they were not spreading significantly.”

On Friday morning, Slave Lake said it was at capacity and would not be accepting any more evacuees.

“We recommend new evacuees follow the directions issued under the evacuation order for your community or proceed to Edmonton,” the town said. “High Level Evacuees should stay in Slave Lake.”

LISTEN BELOW: Global News reporter Kent Morrison joins Ryan Jespersen on 630 CHED from Slave Lake

View link »

“The MD has declared a local state of emergency because of that, but we’re not panicked at this point,” said Warman, who was a town councillor and firefighter during the 2011 wildfire that raced through part of Slave Lake, destroying more that 400 homes and buildings.

LISTEN BELOW: Mayor Tyler Warman joins Ryan Jespersen on 630 CHED

View link »

He said the fires are bringing back memories.

“We are more prepared than we have ever been. We’re more cautious than we have been in the past.”

WATCH: Kent Morrison reports live from Slave Lake with the latest on Friday morning.

Poor air quality due to smoke

Smoke from the fires enveloped points south, including Edmonton, in a acrid haze that limited visibility and made it difficult to breathe. The thick smoke turned otherwise blue skies an eerie grey-orange across Alberta.

A special air-quality statement issued by Environment Canada for the Edmonton region and later expanded to most of the province remained largely in place Friday morning.

READ MORE: Wildfire smoke can harm your lungs, your heart, and maybe even your mental health

“Shifting winds are causing the smoke to drift and most of Alberta will be impacted by this smoke in the coming days,” Dreeshen said.

“Smoke is a huge factor in this challenge for not only for health reasons but for the wildland firefighters on the ground. The loss of visibility makes it extremely difficult to use air supports.”

Smoke has also drifted into five U.S. states — Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming. Air quality in three Montana cities was rated unhealthy Friday morning.

WATCH: The wildfires in northern Alberta impacted Edmontonians on Thursday as smoke created air quality concerns. Kendra Slugoski reports.

— With files from Heide Pearson and Karen Bartko, Global News </s> Smoke from Alberta’s wildfires has drifted to a number of American cites once again this year, and it may be cloudier than usual as a result.

According to the Twin Cities Branch of the National Weather Service, the lack of sunlight in America’s Upper Midwest can be credited to Alberta’s wildfire season.

READ MORE: Alberta wildfires: Evacuation alerts and orders in place across the province

According to FireSmoke Canada, a informational portal about smoke from wildfires, other Canadian regions — including some parts of western Ontario and southwestern B.C. — are also experiencing cloudy skies and air quality warnings due to the smoke.

The live smoke tracker on the website also shows northern U.S. cities such as Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City largely obscured by smoke. At the time of this writing, the smoke reaches as far south as Denver.

The smoke from Alberta’s spring wildfires often drifts into northern American cities at this time of year.

As of Thursday, there are 29 fires burning across Alberta and nearly 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, with a number of cities now on evacuation alert. Slave Lake is the most recent city to be placed on alert.

READ MORE: Alberta wildfire haze reaches Metro Vancouver as smoke season comes early

The Alberta government has also issued an emergency alert for Chipewyan Lake Village, about 450 km north of Edmonton. People were asked to leave immediately because of a rapidly-moving wildfire that threatens to cut off access to the area.

Different fires have also forced evacuations from the hamlet of High Level, Wabasca, the Bigstone Cree Nation and Northern Lights County.

High Level Mayor Crystal McAteer, Reeve Josh Knelsen of Mackenzie County and Dene Tha’ First Nation Chief James Ahnassay issued a joint statement late Wednesday on Facebook.

“We know that many of you are very anxious to hear about what is happening with the wildfire and the situation in our communities. Many of you have been out of your homes and away from your work for a long time,” they wrote.

WATCH: Coverage of the 2019 Alberta wildfires on Global News

However, despite the fires’ colossal impact to the province’s communities, a representative from Alberta Wildfire previously told Global News that there are actually fewer wildfires burning this season than there were during the 2018 wildfire season.

“Currently, the 2019 wildfire season, which started March 1, we’ve seen more than 500 wildfires so far,” Gagnon previously told Global News.

“That number is actually a little bit less than we saw in the 2018 wildfire season. But the number of hectares burned is far greater, as well as some of the wildfires that are burning are closer to communities.”

— With a file from the Associated Press and from Simon Little. </s> Satellite pictures show how Alberta’s wildfires stretch across the country as the fires continue to burn, threatening the homes of thousands of people.

At least 10,000 people have been evacuated from regions across Northern Alberta as the blazes continue to burn. Across the province, there were 28 active fires and nine were considered out of control.

READ MORE: 10,000 people forced out, 15 homes destroyed by Alberta wildfires

There are three major fires threatening communities, including the far northwestern Chuckegg Creek wildfire near High Level, the Battle Complex wildfire further south near Manning in the Peace River region, and the Mcmillan Complex wildfire affecting several communities north of Slave Lake.

Over May long weekend, the High Level fire grew in size, and all three were clearly visible from space — and remained contained to their own regions.

As the week continued, the smoke spread across the country, drifting across Saskatchewan, Manitoba and into parts of western Ontario.

Global News’ Chief Meteorologist Anthony Farnell explained that while the brighter white is clouds, the darker grey haze comes from the wildfires and can be seen extending around the country.

NASA Worldview of Central Canada on May 30, 2019.

In Edmonton and Calgary, the sky remains hazy as of Friday afternoon. Residents in Winnipeg, Manitoba said they could smell smoke as of Thursday.

According to FireSmoke Canada, northern U.S. cities such as Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City are also obscured by smoke.

Dramatic aerial footage, meanwhile, shows smoke billowing up over a long range in Alberta.

The smoke can cause health problems when inhaled, affecting your lungs, your heart and possibly even your mental health.

With wildfire season raging, those affected by smoke can take several steps to protect themselves.

Options include regularly checking air quality reports, exercising indoors, and keeping the air in homes clean by running an air conditioner — so long as you close the fresh-air intake and clean the filter to keep smoke from penetrating where you live, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

READ MORE: Wildfire smoke can harm your lungs, your heart, and maybe even your mental health: research </s> Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts into 5 US states

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles (733 kilometers) north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles (2,300 square kilometers) of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena's air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease. </s> HELENA, Mont. — Smoke from large wildfires in Canada’s Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles (733 kilometers) north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles (2,300 square kilometers) of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena’s air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles (733 kilometers) north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles (2,300 square kilometers) of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena's air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease. </s> HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles (733 kilometers) north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles (2,300 square kilometers) of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena's air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease. </s> Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles (733 kilometers) north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles (2,300 square kilometers) of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena's air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease. </s> HELENA, Mont. - Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.

More than two dozen fires are burning in Alberta and 10,000 people have been forced from their homes.

The smoke has drifted into Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington state and Wyoming.

The government agency Alberta Wildfire reports the largest blaze is out of control about 450 miles (733 kilometres) north of Edmonton and has burned 887 square miles (2,300 square kilometres) of land.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rated Helena's air quality as unhealthy Friday morning while the air quality in the Montana cities of Great Falls and Lewistown was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups such as people with asthma or heart disease.
In northern Alberta, Canada, an estimated 10,000 people have been evacuated due to fast spreading wildfires.