Prairie wildfires developed on two fronts Friday, as 1,000 more Manitoba residents were forced to flee their homes and Saskatchewan RCMP charged two people with starting blazes.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference that one charge relates to starting a fire near La Ronge, which has forced 7,000 people from the area.

“The RCMP have informed us that they have now charged a couple of individuals,” Moe said.

An 18-year-old woman from Montreal Lake Cree Nation and a 36-year-old man from Pelican Narrows each face one count of arson, said RCMP.

It’s alleged the woman set the fire in a rural area near La Ronge. The man is accused of setting fires in a ditch near the turnoff to Snowden, northeast of Prince Albert.

As of Friday, Saskatchewan had 24 active wildfires and Moe said

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