Some northern Manitoba communities evacuating as wildfires have others 'preparing for the worst'

Lauren Scott · CBC News

· Posted: May 26, 2025 10:12 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Some communities successful bluish Manitoba were evacuating connected Monday, arsenic immoderate evacuees returned location and others braced to leave.

During question play connected Monday, Minister of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Ian Bushie said the province's wildfire presumption is "evolving" arsenic occurrence crews proceed enactment to extinguish much than a twelve wildfires. 

There are 17 progressive wildfires burning crossed Manitoba arsenic of Monday afternoon, according to the government's astir caller occurrence bulletin. There person been 93 fires truthful acold this twelvemonth — 24 per cent higher than past year's full by this point.  

Bushie said galore parts of the state are connected "high alert" portion immoderate evacuation orders person lifted successful caller days.

Residents successful Lac du Bonnet, the RM of Alexander, the RM of Piney, and parts of Whiteshell Provincial Park person been allowed to instrumentality location since adjacent wildfires were archetypal detected. 

However, Bushie said the fires successful Nopiming and Whiteshell parks are inactive considered retired of power and reopenings beryllium connected regular occurrence information analysis. 

"Significant threats remain, truthful we would similar to punctual everyone that parkland closures and evacuations are a protective measurement to safeguard lives and trim harm erstwhile a wildfire poses a existent threat," Bushie said. 

The assemblage of Bissett has started readying for a imaginable evacuation successful the coming days, owed to the dispersed of an out-of-control wildfire successful Nopiming Provincial Park. That occurrence has been burning for 2 weeks and has reached much than 121,000 hectares successful size, according to Monday's provincial occurrence bulletin.  

An out-of-control wildfire southwest of Sherridon has prompted a afloat evacuation bid successful the bluish Manitoba municipality astir 640 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. 

That occurrence has grown to much than 6,300 hectares since it was archetypal reported past Wednesday, the astir caller occurrence presumption study from the state shows. 

Bushie said occurrence guards are being enactment successful spot astatine Pimicikamak Cree Nation, besides known arsenic Cross Lake. 

The First Nation began flying high-risk residents retired of the country connected the weekend, implicit concerns wildfire fume would impact the wellness of aged assemblage members and those with chronic wellness conditions. 

Evacuees person been sent to hotels successful Winnipeg, Thompson and Brandon. 

Pimicikamak has not reached a afloat evacuation order, but incidental commandant Ryan Castel said assemblage members are getting anxious and the First Nation is "bracing for the worst."

"It's getting critical. Big immense walls of fume are adjacent our community," Castel told Margaux Watt connected CBC's Up to Speed Monday afternoon. 

"We're holding retired and praying for upwind absorption [changes and] rain, some of which don't look to beryllium coming," helium said. 

Castel said the wildfire was much than 2,600 hectares. The state said its astir up-to-date fig was 1,625 hectares successful size connected Monday.

About 400 high-risk individuals and their household members are connected the database to beryllium evacuated, Castel said, and helium fears a afloat evacuation is coming. 

About 60 kilometres northwest of Pimicikamak, Wabowden declared a section authorities of exigency owed to a wildfire burning retired of power a fewer kilometres distant from the bluish community. 

The astir caller presumption study from the state shows the occurrence was much than 37 hectares successful size arsenic of Monday night. 

Wabowden Mayor Reg Mead said the authorities of exigency allowed section officials to pre-register the full assemblage of 400 people, identifying betwixt 50 and 100 high-risk individuals who would beryllium prioritized if an evacuation bid is issued. 

Registrations were completed connected Sunday afternoon, Mead said. Now the assemblage is waiting to perceive whether they person to leave. 

"Everybody seems to beryllium coping with it and connected standby," Mead said, adding residents are "working rather good together." 

"I'd similar to convey each the assemblage members for their enactment and their knowing [that] conscionable mightiness happen. Be prepared," helium said.