Northern Manitoba First Nations to evacuate thousands over wildfire threat

CBC News

· Posted: May 28, 2025 10:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Thousands of First Nations radical surviving successful bluish Manitoba were being evacuated connected Wednesday arsenic the provincial authorities declared a authorities of exigency owed to fast-spreading wildfires and utmost occurrence conditions successful that region, and elsewhere successful the province.

People surviving successful the First Nations of Pimicikimak Cree Nation, Pukatawagan (also known arsenic Mathias Colomb Cree Nation) and Marcel Colomb First Nation, on with the community of Sherridon, were each placed nether an exigency evacuation order, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, an advocacy radical that represents 26 bluish Manitoba First Nations, said successful a Wednesday quality release. 

Two different First Nations — Norway House First Nation and Easterville/Chemawawin Cree Nation — were enactment nether an evacuation announcement and told to hole successful lawsuit they had to leave. 

Earlier Wednesday, the bluish Manitoba metropolis of Flin Flon besides issued an evacuation bid telling each 5,000 of its citizens to leave. On Tuesday, residents were told to statesman preparing spell bags and registry with metropolis officials.

And connected Tuesday morning, the Town of Lynn Lake ordered its residents to instantly evacuate due to a rapidly advancing wildfire.

• Low connected powerfulness oregon data? Use CBC Lite for the latest wildfire news

During a Wednesday evening quality league regarding the exigency declaration, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said 17,000 radical volition beryllium evacuated from the bluish and eastbound regions of the province astir affected by wildfires.

"This is the largest evacuation Manitoba volition person seen successful astir people's surviving memory," Kinew said. 

The authorities of exigency volition past for astatine slightest 30 days, the state said. 

MKO said the airdrome astatine Pimicikamak, which began evacuating its astir high-risk residents implicit the weekend, cannot beryllium utilized owed to occurrence menace successful the area. Fire has isolated the community, astir 530 kilometres northbound of Winnipeg connected the shores of Cross Lake, as it attempts to evacuate thousands of citizens, MKO said Wednesday.  

In a livestream Wednesday, Pimicikamak Chief David Monias declared the afloat evacuation order, telling residents to caput southbound to Norway House Cree Nation, southbound of Pimicikamak.

Norway House is nether an evacuation notice, but had not yet issued an evacuation bid arsenic of Wednesday night.

"If you person a vehicle, commencement leaving now," Monias said. "If you person country for people, your neighbours oregon your friends, past commencement taking them arsenic well."

Norway House Chief Larson Anderson said the First Nation has sent much than a twelve buses to Pimicikamak and 500 evacuees person already been registered arsenic of Wednesday night. 

In total, the assemblage expects to invited much than 1,200 evacuees from Pimicikamak. 

"We're First Nations radical and that's our culture," Anderson said.  

"If we don't person each other, we don't person anyone. So we marque definite to assistance each different out," helium said. 

Chief Clarence Easter of Chemawawin Cree Nation said much than 450 radical were evacuated from the assemblage Monday night, arsenic fume overtook the bluish portion of the community. 

The First Nation has declared a authorities of exigency but is not nether a afloat evacuation bid arsenic of Wednesday night.

Pukatawagan, astir 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, has besides been chopped disconnected from its airport, portion trains are nary longer operating implicit unsafe occurrence conditions. 

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said immoderate aboriginal evacuees person already been sent to Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson. 

The evacuations are a  "massive undertaking," Settee said, but helium said helium was gladsome to spot federal, provincial and municipal governments moving alongside First Nations leaders to get citizens to safety.  

"The First Nations are not unsocial successful this fight," helium said connected Wednesday extracurricular the legislature building in Winnipeg. 

Settee said Kinew and the provincial authorities person stepped up, and are showing exigency officials connected the crushed that "the premier is down them."

"I stay optimistic that we volition beryllium capable to incorporate these fires, enactment retired these fires and that our radical tin spell location erstwhile it's safe," helium said.