Sask. to host up to 2,000 wildfire evacuees from Northern Ontario

Cpl. Steven Cayen from 17 Wing Winnipeg assists evacuees from Pikangikum, Ont. who were relocated to Winnipeg because of forest fires burning in Northern Ontario, as part of Operation LENTUS on Sunday, June 2, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO--Cpl. Darryl Hepner, 17 Wing Imaging)

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The Saskatchewan government has agreed to host up to 2,000 people who have been forced from their homes by wildfires in Northern Ontario.

The Ontario government says more than 20 communities in the province have been affected by the fires, including residents of Pikangikum First Nation.

Earlier Wednesday, the chief of the Indigenous community said evacuation by land and water had been put on hold because of a lack of places to send his people.

Premier Doug Ford says emergency response personnel are working closely with the Ontario Provincial Police and other agencies to fight the fires and ensure people can evacuate safely.

He says he has asked municipalities to help evacuees.

Ford says he asked Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe for help.

"Today, I raised the issue directly with Premier Scott Moe and he agreed to help," Ford said Wednesday in a release.

"Saskatchewan has offered to host up to 2,000 evacuees. I want to thank Premier Moe and the good people of Saskatchewan for their generosity in helping us to move our people out of harm's way and ensure they are safely housed during this extremely difficult time."