After long trip, northern Manitoba wildfire evacuees face uncertainty as they seek shelter in Winnipeg

Arturo Chang · CBC News

· Posted: May 29, 2025 10:02 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

People forced retired of their bluish Manitoba homes by wildfires accidental they don't cognize what's next, present that they've reached Winnipeg successful hunt of shelter.

Four facilities successful the metropolis person been opened to the thousands of evacuees ordered to permission their homes Wednesday, arsenic the Manitoba authorities declared a provincewide authorities of emergency.

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said the metropolis volition besides look astatine utilizing different facilities arsenic needed.

City officials said Thursday the state and the Canadian Red Cross are handling operations at evacuation centres acceptable up astatine the Billy Mosienko, Eric Coy and Century arenas, arsenic good arsenic the Winnipeg Soccer Federation North complex. 

Mary and Leonard Daniels were among the astir 5,000 Flin Flon residents ordered connected Wednesday day to permission the city — about 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg arsenic the crow flies, but a thrust of much than 800 kilometres. The mates was astatine Billy Mosienko Thursday, wherever a reception centre has been acceptable up.

"I drove each nighttime and I inactive haven't got nary slumber yet," Mary Daniels said. "We registered, and we took immoderate snacks and drinks. So we're conscionable trying to get a clasp of Red Cross."

The Red Cross said the flow-through shelters are designed to let people stay temporarily, portion the enactment finds them a edifice country oregon different accommodations.

The Red Cross does not person authoritative figures of many cots are disposable astatine the 4 locations, it said successful an email Thursday.

"There are plentifulness of options that we're supporting," said Luc Mullinder, vice-president of the Canadian Red Cross for Manitoba.

"One of the things that's ever a precedence is folks that person either wellness issues oregon are a small spot older, [or] children. Those are radical that we prioritize, and past we determination connected from there."

But Daniels, whose hubby is disabled, said the household is waiting for an update connected wherever they'll extremity up staying.

"He's aged and helium can't slumber connected a cot.... He conscionable got retired of the hospital," Daniels said.

"We haven't got immoderate answers to our questions connected erstwhile we're going location … oregon however agelong we're going to beryllium here. So benignant of consciousness misplaced close now, you know?" she said.

"Our location was our harmless zone, and present we are successful the city. We don't cognize anybody."

'We volition not fit'

Gina Malate, besides from Flin Flon, was among a fewer members of that city's Filipino assemblage who got connected the roadworthy together shortly aft the evacuation bid was issued Wednesday afternoon.

She said the radical planned to instrumentality unneurotic and enactment each other, but that whitethorn not beryllium possible.

"We person … [nowhere] to enactment here," Malate said.

"Just ideate — we are six vehicles, and past who's going to fto america stay?" she said. "We volition not fit. We person families."

More than 17,000 radical are expected to permission their communities due to the fact that of the wildfires successful bluish Manitoba. In summation to Flin Flon, the communities of Lynn Lake, Sherridon, Pukatawagan Cree Nation (also known arsenic Mathias Colomb First Nation), Marcel Colomb First Nation and Pimicikamak Cree Nation are also under evacuation orders.

The state says the bulk of evacuees volition spell to Winnipeg, urging those successful the metropolis to question structure with friends and household first, if possible. 

Evacuees are encouraged to registry with the Red Cross online or by calling 1-800-863-6582 (toll-free) betwixt 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Mullinder said the Red Cross is moving with a "ton of partners" to find evacuees accommodations arsenic soon arsenic it can.

Meanwhile, the YMCA-YWCA said it's opening facilities astatine its 4 locations successful Winnipeg (Downtown, Elmwood-Kildonan, South, and West Portage) to evacuees portion they're successful the city.

"Could beryllium thing arsenic elemental arsenic ablution facilities that we tin provide, oregon things to bash with the kids successful a truly pugnacious time," said vice-president of philanthropy Kevin Hunter.

"We tin lone ideate what those families are going through, truthful having a harmless spot ... they tin spell walk immoderate time, person a spot of normalcy and fun, we deliberation that's important."

Hospital patients relocated

On Thursday, Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara praised the health-care unit who helped evacuate all of Flin Flon's 71 infirmary patients, on with astir 70 residents from 2 idiosyncratic attraction homes.

They were each relocated to health-care facilities crossed the state by Thursday morning.

The curate said immoderate unit are volunteering to proceed caring for their patients adjacent portion evacuated themselves, portion 19 unit person remained astatine Flin Flon's infirmary to guarantee health-care services are disposable for the people left down to combat the wildfires.

"They're choosing to beryllium successful a determination wherever they cognize there's a superior wildfire concern not excessively acold away, due to the fact that they judge successful doing what they tin to support radical safe. That, to me, is truthful commendable," Asagwara said.

Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anyplace successful Manitoba oregon email [email protected].