Big Canada Wildfire Kills Two, 1,000 Evacuated
Canada has endured a series of significant forest fires in recent years, but deaths involving residents are rare.
In 2023, the worst wildfire season in the country's history, the only recorded deaths were among firefighters.
Canadian federal police confirmed Wednesday that two people died in the small community of Lac-du-Bonnet, in the central province of Manitoba, which is experiencing unusually hot, dry and windy conditions.
Chris Hastie of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) told reporters that authorities were aware that these individuals had been trapped in the fire.
Due to extreme conditions yesterday afternoon, emergency personnel were not able to reach the location until this morning,Hastie added.
There were no reports of additional people unaccounted for, Hastie said.
Manitobas Premier Wab Kinew said he was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of two Manitobans due to the wildfires.
My heart goes out to their loved ones,he added in a post on X.
Several evacuation orders have been issued in recent days in Manitoba, including in Lac-du-Bonnet, where 1,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes.
This is a truly tragic event. We are a very close-knit community here,Loren Schinkel, the head of the community 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Winnipeg, said after the deaths were confirmed.
Speaking to AFP earlier, Schinkel had said strong winds from the south were driving the fire's spread, but that the situation appeared stable on Wednesday morning.
There are 24 active fires in Manitoba, five of which are considered out of control, authorities said.
One fire burning on the Ontario border has spread across 100,000 hectares.
We are looking at obviously very challenging conditions,said Kristin Hayward of the Manitoba Wildfire Service, citing hot, dry weather.
We have had some very windy days, and we expect that to continue, she added, speaking before the fatalities were confirmed.
There are currently 92 active fires across Canada, including in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
Authorities have warned the wildfire season in central and western Canada could be more intense than normal due to drought conditions affecting several areas.
Climate change has increased the impact of extreme weather events in Canada.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
19 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for June 5
Widespread smoke. High 23 C. UV index 7 or high. While images of wildfires capture their ferocity, data can provide insight into how bad a fire season is. Such is the case with two graphics, powered by satellite data, that showcase a Canadian wildfire season off to a wild — and scary — start. Twice a day a NASA satellite sends images to the ground, giving a real-time view of where fires are burning. This is especially useful for remote areas where no sensors are stationed. The Associated Press has more here. What's happening today Toronto-based former Winnipegger and bestselling fantasy novelist Guy Gavriel Kay comes back to town to launch his latest novel, Written on the Dark , tonight at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson's Grant Park location. Kay will be joined at the launch in conversation by Bruce Symaka. Ben Sigurdson has a preview here. Guy Gavriel Kay (Ted Davis photo) There's plenty of family-friendly entertainment to be found at The Forks this week during the annual KidsFest event hosted by the Winnipeg International Children's Festival. The party kicks off at 10 a.m. today with a showcase of Francophone performers, including local singer-songwriter Micah Baribeau, a.k.a Micah!, and Montreal theatre duo Les Soeurs Kif Kif. Today's must-read The NDP government has asked the provincial auditor general to probe Project Nova, the doomed technology project undertaken by Manitoba Public Insurance. In a letter to auditor general Tyson Shtykalo, which was obtained by the Free Press , Finance Minister Adrien Sala stated that after spending $165 million on Nova, most of the promised features — including full online access for Autopac customers — remain unfulfilled. Sala stated in his letter that an internal government review identified a number of 'concerns' about MPI's management of Nova. Dan Lett has the story. The NDP government has asked the provincial auditor general to probe Manitoba Public Insurance's Project Nova.(Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files) On the bright side An adolescent loggerhead sea turtle named Dilly Dally crawled into the Atlantic Ocean Wednesday morning, months after having a front flipper amputated at a Florida turtle hospital. The turtle was brought to Loggerhead Marinelife Center in January suffering from predator wounds to the front flipper. The veterinary crew at the Juno Beach facility assisted in Dilly Dally's rehabilitation and care. 'Every time we can release a turtle back into the wild is special and not just for us but for all the interns and volunteers and everyone that puts an effort to getting these turtles back out there. It's always a really special day,' said Marika Weber, a veterinary technician at the centre. The Associated Press has more here. An adolescent loggerhead sea turtle named Dilly-Dally crawls into the Atlantic Ocean after being released on Wednesday. (Rebecca Blackwell / The Associated Press) On this date On June 5, 1956: The Winnipeg Free Press reported city council told its public safety committee to draw up new specifications on boots for the Winnipeg fire department and call for tenders again; the decision was a victory for boot salesman William Gelfant, who a month earlier had caused an uproar at city hall when he charged the city was buying footwear that did not meet the city's own specifications. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
More Manitobans pushing to help wildfire fight.
Winnipeg Watch CTV's Joseph Bernacki has more on how some Manitobans are pushing the province to let them help battle wildfires.
Canada Standard
a day ago
- Canada Standard
Wildfires force 25,000 to flee homes in Canada; US sends help
FLIN FLON, Manitoba: More than 25,000 people in three Canadian provinces have been forced to leave their homes because of wildfires, which were still burning on Sunday. Officials said the fires are also worsening the air quality in parts of Canada and the United States. Most of the people who had to leave were from Manitoba, where a state of emergency was declared last week. Over the weekend, about 17,000 people were evacuated from that province. In Alberta, around 1,300 people were evacuated, and in Saskatchewan, about 8,000 people had to leave their homes. Leaders in Saskatchewan warned that the number of evacuations could go up. Smoke from the wildfires is making it harder to breathe and see clearly in parts of Canada and some U.S. states near the border. Saskatchewan's Public Safety Agency warned over the weekend that "air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can change quickly over short distances and from hour to hour." They also said that the health risks get worse as the smoke gets thicker. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said that help was coming from other provinces and U.S. states, including Alaska, Oregon, and Arizona. Firefighters, emergency workers, and aircraft were being sent to help fight the fires. "We are truly grateful, and we stand stronger because of you," Moe said in a post on social media.
