Latest news with #TataskweyakCreeNation
CBC
07-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Manitoba emergency officials to give wildfire update at 12:45 p.m.
Social Sharing Emergency officials are set to give an update on wildfires in Manitoba, after at least seven homes in Tataskweyak Cree Nation burned on Friday and the largest city in the province's north was placed on evacuation watch. CBC Manitoba will livestream the 12:45 p.m. news conference here and on CBC Gem. The Town of Leaf Rapids has declared a local state of emergency and told its residents they have 24 hours to get out of the northern community, about 155 kilometres northwest of Thompson, in a Facebook post Monday morning. The population of Leaf Rapids was about 350 people in the 2021 census. About 115 kilometres northeast of Thompson, at least seven houses were razed by flames that spread quickly amid heavy winds in Tataskweyak on Friday, chief and council said in a social media post on Saturday. Meanwhile, a fire burning north of Thompson has that city on edge, and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, about 65 kiloimetres to the west, called a local state of emergency Sunday. The fire threatening Thompson started on Friday and was about seven hectares in size when discovered that morning. By Sunday evening it had grown to 6,000 hectares, Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook said on Monday morning. As of now, there are no evacuations happening for the city of roughly 13,000, but Smook has advised residents to gas up their vehicles and to pack medications, food and other necessities, in case they have to suddenly leave. Should that happen, "it'll be a big ordeal," Smook said. "We don't have the capacity to put everybody through the gas stations at once," she said. The flames were most recently about eight kilometres away from the city, and heavy machinery was being used to create fire breaks, Smook said. More firefighting crews arrived Sunday night from Winnipeg to help. Some of them are working to ensure the airport is safe and accessible, she said. "We are very lucky that it's not tracking to the city, with our wind at the moment. We've got very little wind this week, but you know, come the end of the week, it could be a different story," she said. "There's no need to panic at this time, but yet there is a preparedness that we are trying to push through." City authorities and emergency personnel are having regular meetings, with the next one planned for early Monday afternoon, Smook said. She urged residents to pay attention to the City of Thompson's Facebook page. "We'll keep everybody updated on just what they need to do." Manitoba lifted a provincewide state of emergency two weeks ago amid improving conditions overall, though several communities that remained on high alert have been forced to leave over the past week — some for the second time since the end of May. Lynn Lake emptied out on Friday after a mandatory evacuation order, about five weeks after the community of 600 originally emptied out, amid a fresh wildfire threat. They boarded buses and planes and have mostly settled at hotels in Brandon.
CTV News
07-07-2025
- 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.
CBC
06-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Evacuation 'likely expected' for Leaf Rapids as wildfires threaten northern Manitoba town
Social Sharing Leaf Rapids residents are being told to get ready to leave on short notice as wildfires threaten yet another Manitoba community. The town announced in a Facebook post at 10 a.m. Sunday that an evacuation is "likely expected," and could come into effect with notice of 10 hours or less. A fire southwest of the community was more than 5,000 hectares in size as of Saturday, according to the provincial fire map. Another blaze to Leaf Rapids' southeast — near O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation — was about 100 hectares, with the town saying in a previous update it may threaten hydro infrastructure. Both fires remained out of control as of the latest provincial update. "I woke up about 6:30 a.m. and it was really smoky outside. You could smell it inside and I was kind of nervous to even go back to bed," Leaf Rapids resident Elizabeth Charrier said. "My daughter has a cold right now and my son has asthma. So I've just been keeping them in because it is affecting people's breathing.… [there's a] lot of elders here that have health issues." The town said arrangements for the evacuation are taking place, and further notice will be given to residents once there are any updates. WATCH | Northern communities forced to evacuate again by fires: Northern Manitoba communities forced to evacuate again as multiple fires burn 2 hours ago Duration 4:29 A wildfire destroyed at least seven homes and forced nearly 200 people to evacuate from Tataskweyak Cree Nation in northeastern Manitoba, the community's chief and council said in a social media post on Saturday. Additionally, about 600 residents of the nearby town of Lynn Lake began to evacuate Friday, only two weeks after they returned from an earlier evacuation. Read more: Charrier said the last few days have been stressful. "You don't know what's going to happen next," she said. "We keep going for a ride to just check on the smoke." Provincial Road 493 from Leaf Rapids to Lynn Lake — about 75 kilometres northwest as the crow flies — is closed because of fire and smoke. On Thursday, Lynn Lake residents were ordered to evacuate the community because of the fire there, which was about 80,000 hectares in size. Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak said Saturday as many as 150 people with high-priority medical needs were being evacuated out of O-Pipon-Na-Piwin. About 350 people lived in Leaf Rapids as of the 2021 census. The community is about 750 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Charrier said the situation seems to be more in control than about two years ago, when a wildfire forced the evacuation of the town during a leadership turnover. "Our vehicles are packed. We're just putting things like pictures we've been going through," she said. "Last time we were rushing, there was things we thought of after that could burn … I would have wanted to have with me, but this time, we've got our our important things in a bag and everything's in the vehicle and we're ready to go."
CTV News
06-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Seven homes destroyed by fire on Manitoba First Nation, community's leadership says
A helicopter crew works on a wildfire in northern Manitoba during a helicopter tour in the surrounding area of Flin Flon, Man. on Thursday, June 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Deal-Pool SPLIT LAKE — A wildfire in northern Manitoba has destroyed seven homes in a day the chief and council of the local First Nation are calling 'horrendous.' Officials of Tataskweyak Cree Nation say in a Facebook post that a fire that ignited northwest of the community on Friday was fanned by strong winds, and that approximately 175 residents have been evacuated east to Gillam, Man. Tataskweyak was evacuated earlier in the fire season and had lifted the order in mid-June, but then had to push back the date when people could return due to problems with its water system. It's not the only Manitoba community facing another evacuation — 600 residents of Lynn Lake have also been ordered out of their community for the second time this year due to wildfires after town officials said a fire was threatening Manitoba Hydro transmission line. A large fire near Tataskweyak has been burning since late May and has been listed as out-of-control by Manitoba's Natural Resources department for most of the time since then. It briefly changed to being held for a few days at the end of June before switching back to out-of-control. 'Yesterday, was an absolutely horrendous day,' the Facebook post from the chief and council of Tataskweyak Cree Nation on Saturday said, noting that seven homes were destroyed. 'To the families that lost their homes … we understand being away, and finding out you no longer have a home is absolutely heartbreaking. We have no other words to say, but we will be here, to offer you support in any way we can.' Chief Doreen Spence livestreamed video on Saturday afternoon from a helicopter over the blaze. The video showed numerous smoke plumes, large and small. The order to flee came suddenly. Spence posted a video Friday updating residents about water testing, when she noted that flames had jumped the fire line and strong winds were blowing the fire towards the community. 'If results are in our favour, then you guys will return home,' Spence said about the water testing. Not long after, she posted videos of smoke, and told people that the community's leadership had been told everybody had to leave. 'Gas up, pack your stuff, go to the band hall, or if you need a ride, you can message myself. The RCMP are knocking on doors here again, to make sure everybody is out of their homes,' she said in a later video. Manitoba has been experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons in recent years, and about 21,000 people were forced to flee their homes in June. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025. The Canadian Press
CBC
19-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Return of Tataskweyak wildfire evacuees on hold for at least a week due to water treatment issues
Social Sharing It could be at least another week before wildfire evacuees from a northern Manitoba First Nation are able to go home, leadership says. After lifting its evacuation order Monday, Tataskweyak Cree Nation declared a state of emergency the next morning over concerns with its water treatment plant. The First Nation's leadership held a Facebook live on Wednesday, telling community members not to return home until the issues have been resolved. Chief Doreen Spence said the community's water was shut off after tests on discoloured water samples from June 4 came back nearly two weeks later, indicating high levels of aluminum in the water. She said experts will do an assessment of the plant on Thursday, which she hoped would provide information on next steps and a timeline. In the meantime, the water isn't safe for drinking, bathing or dish washing. "Coming back, too, will be harder on you guys," Spence said. "We don't really have essential staff here right now to deliver water. We're just working on that right now." Spence acknowledged the longer wait would be challenging for evacuees, who were sent to Brandon, Thompson and Winnipeg, as well as Niagara Falls, Ont., when the community issued an evacuation order on May 30. "I know it's really difficult for you guys to all be out there. I know everybody wants to come home," Spence said. "The conditions right now are not ideal at this time, like we don't even have … all of our essential staff right now." That includes health care services offered by nurses, along with garbage pick up, she said. A planned community-wide power outage is also scheduled over the next five days, beginning from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, in part to permit Manitoba Hydro to repair structures, Spence said. The Crown corporation says multiple utility poles were damaged by the wildfire, which is nearly 22,000 hectares in size, as per the Manitoba government's Wednesday fire bulletin. The province continues to list the fire as out of control, but the First Nation says it's mostly contained, apart from some smoke. For people who have already come home, leadership said they have 400 air purifiers, some bottled water and 200 generators on hand. In the meantime, Spence urged concerned or distressed evacuees to contact council members. "Being away from your community and your family and friends has obviously taken a toll on your health mentally," she said. Chief says more hotel rooms needed As the community evacuation approaches the three-week mark, Spence said council continues to plead with the Canadian Red Cross to get hotel rooms for all evacuees. Leadership estimated they needed 100 more rooms and said the Red Cross had committed to secure them this week. "I know it's extremely frustrating for you guys to not have a hotel room, and we've been saying that over and over again," Spence said, adding that people who didn't have one should get in touch with the council if they hadn't already. "You guys all deserve to be in hotel rooms already." Spence said she had also inquired with Indigenous Services Canada to see if evacuees who've covered hotels and meals out of pocket will be reimbursed, and urged people to hold on to their receipts. The First Nation is also pushing for evacuee benefits to be extended another two weeks, while it manages the water treatment issues, she said.
