Leaf Rapids issues evacuation order as Manitoba wildfire situation escalates again
The northern Manitoba town — home to about 350 people as of the 2021 census — announced the mandatory evacuation order Monday morning, while also declaring a state of local emergency.
'The Town of Leaf Rapids has been advised of the imminent danger of forest fire to the life and property of persons resident or present in the Town of Leaf Rapids,' a social media post said.
SUBMITTED FILE PHOTO
A wildfire burns near Pimicikamak Cree Nation in late May. About half a dozen fires are burning in the Pimicikamak and Cross Lake area.
Some evacuees might have to stay briefly in a congregate shelter, depending on the availability of hotel rooms, the town said.
Leaf Rapids is about 950 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
After somewhat of a lull, northern Manitoba's wildfire situation has dramatically escalated since late last week.
The Manitoba Wildfire Service's online map displayed 80 active fires Monday, with lightning strikes responsible for dozens of new starts. The vast majority are in northern Manitoba.
Officials from the wildfire service and Manitoba Emergency Management Organization are scheduled to speak at a 12:45 p.m. news conference.
At least seven homes burned in Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake) when a blaze flared up Friday. Lynn Lake was evacuated the same day for the second time since late May, this time due to a potential power outage.
Thompson is on alert while a fire burns north of the city. The blaze began Friday and grew to almost 6,000 hectares within two days.
Dozens of Pimicikamak Cree Nation's Priority 1 residents (people with breathing or medical conditions, for example) and some families started leaving Sunday due to heavy smoke. The entire community of more than 7,500 people was evacuated for about three weeks until residents were allowed to return June 16.
About half a dozen fires are burning in the Pimicikamak and Cross Lake area, including an out-of-control blaze that began May 20 and forced the earlier evacuation. The fire was more than 80,000 hectares as of Sunday.
'Right now, it's still very smoky. We still have fires to the north of us, to the west of us and to the south of us,' Pimicikamak Chief David Monias said Monday. 'It doesn't really matter which way the wind shifts — we still have smoke.'
The nearest fire, to the north, is about 10 km from the community. Provincial Road 373 — the only road in and out for Pimicikamak, Cross Lake and Norway House Cree Nation — has had intermittent closures due to fire.
'It got so smoky that we decided we would get our P1s out again,' Monias said. 'People are feeling tired and getting frustrated with the fires and the smoke. Of course, nobody wants to leave home.'
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Chief David Monias said about 120 Pimicikamak residents had left the community by plane or vehicle as of Monday.
About 120 Pimicikamak residents had left the community by plane or vehicle as of Monday.
Monias said 60 hotel rooms in Winnipeg were set aside for Pimicikamak's latest evacuees. He said there is a lack of hotel rooms in Thompson.
Pimicikamak is bringing in additional indoor air purifiers for residents who remain in the community.
In Leaf Rapids, buses to Winnipeg will be available for evacuees who are unable to leave in their own vehicle, or with family or friends.
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Evacuees were told to report to a reception centre at an indoor soccer complex at 770 Leila Ave. in Winnipeg, which the town said will be open as of Tuesday.
The soccer complex was previously used as a congregate shelter for hundreds of evacuees amid a hotel room shortage at a peak in June, when wildfires forced about 22,000 Manitobans out of their homes.
The complex was no longer needed as a majority of evacuees returned home and those in the shelter were moved to hotels. The province has kept it on standby in case extra space is needed.
About 2,300 Manitobans were moved to hotels in Niagara Falls, Ont., in early June due to a shortage of available rooms in Manitoba.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris KitchingReporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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