As Manitoba wildfires spread, Pimicikamak Cree Nation braces for the worst

Sanuda Ranawake · CBC News

· Posted: May 10, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

As wildfires proceed to intensify astir Manitoba, residents successful Pimicikamak Cree Nation are focusing connected occurrence prevention and preparing for the worst.

Last weekend, a tiny fire, which has since been enactment out, dispersed rapidly adjacent the First Nation, astir 530 kilometres northbound of Winnipeg.

The May 4 occurrence reached Miranda Blacksmith's backyard, but her location was spared. She lives with her brother, Derek Robinson, who saw the occurrence spreading and past saw their neighbours evacuate. 

The occurrence "ran distant truthful accelerated due to the fact that it's truthful windy. The upwind was blowing successful each directions," Blacksmith told CBC News. 

She said the assemblage needs much resources to combat fires. 

"A occurrence is nary joke, particularly with a batch of kids around. And we lone person 2 occurrence trucks successful town," which are located astatine the different extremity of the assemblage from her home, she said.

"So we request immoderate benignant of system successful our reserve."

By May 7, Manitoba has usually seen astir 35 wildfires connected average, according to a provincial spokesperson. Last year, determination had been 21 fires as of May 7.

But arsenic of Wednesday, determination had already been 59 fires successful Manitoba this year, and determination were 18 progressive arsenic of Friday afternoon, according to the province's occurrence map. Five are presently retired of control, the largest of which is adjacent The Pas. None were burning successful the Pimicikamak country arsenic of Friday.

WATCH | Dry conditions rise occurrence concerns:

To hole for aboriginal fires, the band assembly has already invested heavy successful firefighting equipment, including drones to show fires, and is connected a ngo to enlistee much firefighters.

But much enactment from the national authorities is vital — particularly to acquisition a caller occurrence motor and physique a 2nd occurrence hallway for the community, says 1 councillor.

"So we precocious conscionable purchased astir about $300,000 worthy of instrumentality arsenic a effect of the wildfire successful 2023," erstwhile a occurrence forced the abrupt evacuation of the community, said Pimicikamak Cree Nation Coun. Blaine Smith.

"We privation to get different occurrence hallway successful our community," helium said. "We got a colonisation of astir 8,000 people, and for 1 occurrence section to service 8,000 radical is simply a lot."

In a statement, a spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada said the department provides $1.9 cardinal annually for operations and attraction for Pimicikamak, immoderate of which is allocated by the First Nation to occurrence protection.

The section provided an further $235,877 for occurrence instrumentality purchases successful the 2023-24 fiscal year, the spokesperson said.

The existent conditions are besides a interest for this year's occurrence season.

"Right now, it's dry," said Pimicikamak occurrence Chief Ray McKay, and he's acrophobic this mightiness beryllium a atrocious twelvemonth for wildfires.

Fellow firefighter Tony Blacksmith, however, said careless behaviour is besides a concern.

"People are careless astir their cleaning habits and starting a occurrence and conscionable leaving it unattended," helium said.

This year, the assemblage is focused connected promoting occurrence prevention events astatine the occurrence hall, with hopes that radical volition beryllium much careful, said Blacksmith.

Robinson and Blacksmith said they're not taking immoderate chances. They already person a hose acceptable up successful their location successful lawsuit immoderate other fires get too close.

"It's conscionable getting started, right?" Robinson said.