Latest news with #ManitobaWildfireService
Global News
2 days ago
- Climate
- Global News
Encroaching wildfires lead to 2nd evacuation for Snow Lake, Man.
Many residents of a northern Manitoba community will make a long drive — almost seven hours — to Winnipeg Thursday as they flee nearby wildfires. Snow Lake is under a mandatory evacuation order for the second time this year, with residents needing to get out of the area by noon. Mayor Ron Scott told Global Winnipeg there are two nearby wildfires, and recent weather hasn't been making things any easier. The latest analysis by the Manitoba Wildfire Service, Scott said, shows that gusty winds are expected to push the flames eight kilometres closer to Snow Lake on Thursday. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy '(The fire) to the west has been developing for some time, we've had very hot and dry conditions, and high winds, particularly yesterday, which were driving the fire to the north,' he said, 'and the winds are now changing.' Story continues below advertisement Although evacuating for the second time is frustrating for the members of his community, Scott said the fact that they've been through it all before means there's been some valuable experience gained. 'Unfortunately, we had to evacuate a month ago, but crews that stayed behind managed to get an awful lot of prep work done, so we're in better shape now to deal with whatever nature throws at us in the coming days,' he said. Evacuees are being urged to stay with friends and family or go to the Leila Soccer Complex in Winnipeg. 'Hopefully, we'll dodge this one as well and everyone can go back home and get on with their lives,' the mayor said.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Thompson mayor ‘cautiously optimistic,' but evacuation plans continue as fire rages
Favourable weather is helping crews fight an out-of-control wildfire just north of Thompson, where officials are pressing ahead with preparations in case some residents are forced to flee. The roughly 6,000-hectare fire has not grown by much since the weekend, Mayor Colleen Smook said Tuesday, while more firefighters arrived from across Manitoba. 'Things are going pretty good. We've got a lot of crews,' Smook said. 'The fire is holding, and we're cautiously optimistic.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES The Manitoba Wildfire Service reported 81 active fires as of Monday afternoon. Winds were blowing from the southwest ahead of a cold front. The south side of the blaze, which is about 15 kilometres north of Thompson, is the priority for firefighting efforts. Thompson declared a state of local emergency as a precaution Monday. More than 300 residents of Leaf Rapids, meanwhile, were required to leave the northwestern Manitoba town by 10 a.m. Tuesday, when a mandatory evacuation order went into effect. Some are making the roughly 975-kilometre journey to Winnipeg by bus. A soccer complex on Leila Avenue reopened as an evacuee reception centre Tuesday. It can be used as a congregate shelter, if hotel rooms are not readily available for evacuees. The fire north of Thompson is more than three times the size of northern Manitoba's largest city, which has a land area of 1,662 hectares. The blaze, caused by lightning, rapidly spread after it was detected Friday. Firefighters have arrived or are on their way from communities such as The Pas, Opaskweyak Cree Nation, Winkler, Morden, Altona, Morris and St. Jean Baptiste. Smook said Manitoba Hydro crews from across the province have also arrived. Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister of the Manitoba Wildfire Service, said Monday that Thompson isn't expected to be in immediate danger over the next couple of days, at least, based on the current conditions, the work that is being done and the weather forecast. Helicopters with buckets were dumping water on hot spots where the fire crossed the Burntwood River. Bulldozers were moving earth to create fire guards around the blaze. Trees and vegetation were being cleared around Thompson's airport, a pumping station, a wastewater treatment plant, the north side of the Millennium Trail along the river, and a heavy industrial area and train station. Sprinklers were set up at the airport, Mystery Mountain Winter Park, Thompson Golf Club and horse stables. Smook said the province has been supportive in efforts to send essential workers to Thompson. Residents were told to keep their vehicles fuelled up and prepare an evacuation bag containing clothes, medications, food and other essentials, in case they have to leave on short notice. They will be asked to register within a day or two to give officials an idea of how many would require transportation or accommodation if an evacuation occurred, Smook said. 'It's just precautionary,' she said. Smook asked Manitobans to avoid non-essential travel to Thompson, which is a hub for communities across northern Manitoba. 'If Thompson goes down, you're not just moving 15,000 people. You're taking away essential services for 70,000 people in the North,' Smook said. It would be one of Manitoba's largest individual evacuations in recent memory. Finding hotel rooms for all of the city's evacuees would be difficult, Smook said. Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. 'Manitoba has no room for us. Winnipeg is full, Brandon is full,' she said. 'We'd be talking about other provinces and maybe the United States.' Provincial staff were looking at hotel options within and outside Manitoba in case at least parts of Thompson have to evacuate, Christine Stevens, assistant deputy minister of the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, said Monday. The Manitoba Wildfire Service reported 81 active fires as of Monday afternoon. Most were in the North, with lightning to blame for dozens of new starts since late June. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued an air quality warning for parts of eastern and northern Manitoba, including Thompson, due to heavy smoke. A special air quality statement was in place for a wider area, including Winnipeg. Chris KitchingReporter Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris. Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Nearby wildfire prompts Thompson to declare state of local emergency
A wildfire is seen burning near Lynn Lake, Man. in July 2025. (Maggie Braido) A wildfire is currently burning near the largest city in northern Manitoba, as firefighters continue to deal with a busy fire season in the province. The City of Thompson declared a local state of emergency on Monday, as a wildfire is currently burning 15 kilometres north of the city. There are 81 active wildfires burning in Manitoba as of Monday and 235 fires this year. Of those fires, Kristin Hayward with Manitoba Wildfire Service said that 16 are threatening or have the potential to threaten communities. Hayward notes the fire near Thompson is 6,000 hectares in size. 'Crews are working to establish fire guards in key areas and are setting up value protection on assets, including the airport,' she said. Despite the state of emergency and the wildfire threat, an evacuation of the community is not expected imminently. 'Based on the current conditions, the work that we're doing, and the forecasted conditions, we don't expect Thompson to be in immediate danger for the next couple of days at least,' Hayward said. Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids have both announced evacuations in recent days. The fire near Leaf Rapids is approximately 14 kilometres from the community and is over 5,100 hectares in size. 'The fire has been less active in recent days due to precipitation in that area, but it is expected to pick back up as warmer and drier conditions return,' Hayward said. A second fire burning near Leaf Rapids is 2,000 hectares in size and has the potential to impact the community's hydro transmission. Two fires are burning near Lynn Lake. One is over 80,000 hectares, and a second fire is 5,600 hectares and threatening the Manitoba Hydro transmission. The province also confirmed seven homes were destroyed in Tataskweyak Cree Nation over the weekend. There are 141 personnel from other jurisdictions assisting with the wildfire fight in Manitoba, Hayward said. Christine Stevens with the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization said seven communities—Lynn Lake, Leaf Rapids, the Wallace Cottage Association , Marcel Colomb First Nation, Mathias Columb First Nation, Tataskweyak and parts of Nopiming—have evacuated due to wildfires.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Leaf Rapids issues evacuation order as Manitoba wildfire situation escalates again
Leaf Rapids residents have been ordered to leave their homes by 10 a.m. Tuesday because a nearby forest fire poses 'imminent danger' to life and property. The northern Manitoba town — home to about 350 people as of the 2021 census — announced the mandatory evacuation order Monday morning, while also declaring a state of local emergency. 'The Town of Leaf Rapids has been advised of the imminent danger of forest fire to the life and property of persons resident or present in the Town of Leaf Rapids,' a social media post said. SUBMITTED FILE PHOTO A wildfire burns near Pimicikamak Cree Nation in late May. About half a dozen fires are burning in the Pimicikamak and Cross Lake area. Some evacuees might have to stay briefly in a congregate shelter, depending on the availability of hotel rooms, the town said. Leaf Rapids is about 950 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. After somewhat of a lull, northern Manitoba's wildfire situation has dramatically escalated since late last week. The Manitoba Wildfire Service's online map displayed 80 active fires Monday, with lightning strikes responsible for dozens of new starts. The vast majority are in northern Manitoba. Officials from the wildfire service and Manitoba Emergency Management Organization are scheduled to speak at a 12:45 p.m. news conference. At least seven homes burned in Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake) when a blaze flared up Friday. Lynn Lake was evacuated the same day for the second time since late May, this time due to a potential power outage. Thompson is on alert while a fire burns north of the city. The blaze began Friday and grew to almost 6,000 hectares within two days. Dozens of Pimicikamak Cree Nation's Priority 1 residents (people with breathing or medical conditions, for example) and some families started leaving Sunday due to heavy smoke. The entire community of more than 7,500 people was evacuated for about three weeks until residents were allowed to return June 16. About half a dozen fires are burning in the Pimicikamak and Cross Lake area, including an out-of-control blaze that began May 20 and forced the earlier evacuation. The fire was more than 80,000 hectares as of Sunday. 'Right now, it's still very smoky. We still have fires to the north of us, to the west of us and to the south of us,' Pimicikamak Chief David Monias said Monday. 'It doesn't really matter which way the wind shifts — we still have smoke.' The nearest fire, to the north, is about 10 km from the community. Provincial Road 373 — the only road in and out for Pimicikamak, Cross Lake and Norway House Cree Nation — has had intermittent closures due to fire. 'It got so smoky that we decided we would get our P1s out again,' Monias said. 'People are feeling tired and getting frustrated with the fires and the smoke. Of course, nobody wants to leave home.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Chief David Monias said about 120 Pimicikamak residents had left the community by plane or vehicle as of Monday. About 120 Pimicikamak residents had left the community by plane or vehicle as of Monday. Monias said 60 hotel rooms in Winnipeg were set aside for Pimicikamak's latest evacuees. He said there is a lack of hotel rooms in Thompson. Pimicikamak is bringing in additional indoor air purifiers for residents who remain in the community. In Leaf Rapids, buses to Winnipeg will be available for evacuees who are unable to leave in their own vehicle, or with family or friends. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Evacuees were told to report to a reception centre at an indoor soccer complex at 770 Leila Ave. in Winnipeg, which the town said will be open as of Tuesday. The soccer complex was previously used as a congregate shelter for hundreds of evacuees amid a hotel room shortage at a peak in June, when wildfires forced about 22,000 Manitobans out of their homes. The complex was no longer needed as a majority of evacuees returned home and those in the shelter were moved to hotels. The province has kept it on standby in case extra space is needed. About 2,300 Manitobans were moved to hotels in Niagara Falls, Ont., in early June due to a shortage of available rooms in Manitoba. Chris KitchingReporter Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris. Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Manitoba to give update on wildfire situation following evacuations
Lynn Lake Mayor Brandon Dulewich shares how the latest wildfire evacuation unfolded and the toll on residents. The Manitoba government will give an update on the current wildfire situation in the province on Monday afternoon. Kristin Hayward with Manitoba Wildfire Service and Christine Stevens with the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization will speak to media at 12:45 p.m. CTV News will live-stream the conference. This update comes after seven homes were destroyed in Tataskweyak Cree Nation over the weekend, and Lynn Lake announced a mandatory evacuation of the community Friday as a wildfire threatened the town's power supply. According to the Manitoba fire bulletin released Friday, there are 64 active wildfires burning in Manitoba. This is a developing story. More details to come.
