Thousands affected as wildfires burn across Canada

STORY: Canadian communities are grappling with one of the worst starts to wildfire season on record with forest fires burning in nearly every province across the country.

Here's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"Communities are being displaced. This is a scary time for a lot of people from coast to coast to coast. /// Our number one priority is keeping Canadians safe and making sure that they have the support they need."

The Canadian armed forces have been helping fight fires in western Canada since early May and troops were sent to Nova Scotia on Thursday (June 1).

The eastern province has had nearly 200 wildfires... and more than 19,000 hectares have been burnt.

That's compared to just over 3,000 hectares last year.

Brett Johnson is one of over 25,000 evacuees there.

"My biggest thing right now is, you know, everybody look after each other and support your first responders that are out there working around the clock..."

The equivalent of more than 5 million football fields have been scorched so far this year across the country -- more than 10 times the average by this time of year over the past decade.