Manitoba residents fleeing scorching wildfires take refuge in Niagara Falls, Ont.
Members of the Royal Canadian Air Force help evacuees board a C-130 Hercules aircraft in Norway House, Man., Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Norway House Airport as crews continue to fight wildfires in northern Manitoba. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski
NIAGARA FALLS — Some Manitoba residents who have taken refuge in Niagara Falls, Ont., after fleeing wildfires raging in their province say they're grateful for the hospitality but worry they won't have a home to return to once the flames die down.
Kelly Ouskun says he saw so much fire and smoke along the highway on the drive from his family's home in Split Lake to Thompson, about 145 kilometres away, that he felt 'nauseated' and his eyes hurt.
The family flew to Niagara Falls from there and he says they've now settled in at one of the five downtown hotels taking in evacuees, while hanging on to hope that what he's heard about his home — that it's still standing and intact — is true.
More than 18,000 people have been displaced due to the wildfires in Manitoba since last week, including 5,000 residents of Flin Flon near the Saskatchewan boundary, along with members from at least four First Nations.
Some residents from Pimicikamak Cree Nation, east of Flin Flon, were taken to Niagara Falls on Sunday, with more arriving since then.
So far, close to 2,000 evacuees have been put up in hotels near tourist attractions and the iconic Horseshoe Falls, with around 1,000 more expected to arrive in the coming days.
Graham Colomb, from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, was evacuated by helicopter from the reserve. Seeing the destruction from the sky left him heartbroken, he said.
'I was devastated, man, devastated seeing all that go up in flames. It was hard to see,' he said while sitting outside a Niagara Falls hotel along with roughly half a dozen others.
While he doesn't have his own house and was living with a family member, Colomb said he's unsure that home will still be standing when they get back.
'What I'm worried about is when we go back, I'm hoping that we still have a roof,' he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025.
Sharif Hassan, The Canadian Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Parks Canada warns to be aware, prepared for wildlife in wake of Waterton Lakes National Park incident
If you're heading to the mountains this weekend, Parks Canada officials are advising you to be aware of, and to plan for, wildlife. If you're heading to the mountains this weekend, officials are advising you to be aware of, and to plan for, wildlife. The reminder comes following a recent bear encounter in Waterton Lakes National Park that resulted in a black bear being euthanized. Parks Canada says the bear showed unusual and aggressive behaviour toward humans near the Cameron Lakeshore Trail on May 24. The following day, Parks Canada located the bear and made the decision to euthanize it. Parks Canada says human and wildlife safety is of the utmost importance. Parks Canada encourages visitors to build their knowledge on how to safely enjoy bear country. 'It's very important to be prepared with knowledge on how to respond when you encounter bears and also tools such as bear spray to use in the unlikely situation where you might need to deploy it,' said Kimberly Pearson, Waterton Lakes National Park resource conservation manager. 'So, be prepared with information, check in with trail reports—with the visitor centre, we have notices on whether there are any closures or cautions with wildlife.' She says to also keep food and garbage secure and never feed wildlife.
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Hangar Flight Museum pays tribute to D-Day with Avro Lancaster viewing for visitors
There was an Avro Lancaster viewing Friday at the Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary. Friday marked the 81st anniversary of the Battle of Normandy -- D-Day-- which was one of the pivotal moments of the Second World War. To mark the occasion, The Hangar Flight Museum held a special viewing day for their Avro Lancaster. Hundreds of Lancasters were built in Canada during the Second World War before they flew overseas to play a crucial role. Visitors got the chance to see how congested the insides of the planes were. Inside the Avro Lancaster Hundreds of Avro Lancasters were built in Canada and shipped to Europe where they played a crucial role in the Second World War (CTV Calgary) 'I find it very emotionally impactful to be inside there and the darkness and the enclosed nature and thinking about, OIK, seven boys and they might have been 18 years old, they might have been 20 years old; a lot of these were really young men who served in these planes,' said one museum guest. The Hangar Flight Museum will be opening the Lancaster for more viewing throughout the summer. For more information about The Hangar Flight Museum, go here.
CTV News
7 hours ago
- CTV News
Five more days of strikes planned at SÉPAQ between June 20 and 24
The Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) has announced five more strike days later this month at several sites operated by the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (SÉPAQ). The strike will take place from June 20 to 24, the union said Friday. While wildlife reserves were affected during previous strike days in mid-May, this time will be different: most SÉPAQ establishments will be impacted. 'All bargaining units will be affected, except for the wildlife reserves and one lodge. So that means campgrounds, parks, the Montmorency Manor, the Chic-Chocs mountain lodge, and all tourist centres will be impacted,' said SFPQ president Christian Daigle. The dispute centres mainly on wages. Daigle said many workers earn about $17 an hour and noted that the vast majority are seasonal employees. The union is calling for a 17.4 per cent wage increase over five years—the same deal that was granted to all government employees. 'This has a major impact on the people we represent. When you only work four or five months a year, missing five days of work is a serious financial hit. So it's not something they do lightly—but people are tired of being taken advantage of and not being offered a fair financial agreement by their employer and, especially, by the Quebec government,' Daigle said. SÉPAQ responds 'The union has the right to strike and is free to choose its timing,' said Simon Boivin, SÉPAQ's media relations officer. He said SÉPAQ submitted 'a third monetary offer' last Tuesday and remains open to negotiating daily to preserve the long weekend for Quebecers. The strike days coincide with Quebec's Fête nationale holiday. 'We want to improve employees' wages with a competitive offer for the tourism industry—one that takes into account the pension plan and other benefits. We're aiming for a balanced agreement that satisfies employees, respects the organization's ability to pay, and doesn't shift extra costs onto visitors. It's worth remembering that 85 per cent of SÉPAQ's revenue comes from its own activities and customer services,' Boivin added. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 6, 2025.
