Latest news with #AlisonDallasFunk
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Some Manitoba communities start preparing to welcome wildfire evacuees back — but threat not gone yet
As Manitoba continues battling out-of-control wildfires that have forced thousands of people out of their homes, some communities are making plans to allow people to start coming back — but it will still take some time before that actually happens. The northwestern city of Flin Flon is working on a re-entry plan that will depend on conditions, including the state of a massive out-of-control wildfire near the community and the availability of hospital and safety services like police and fire response, Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas-Funk said in a post Tuesday. "We can't bring community back if we don't have safety services. All the safety services right now are currently being directed towards fighting fires," Dallas-Funk said in a video posted on Facebook. "So all of our fire protection, all of the RCMP and any EMS services we have — we currently don't even have a hospital right now." The fire near Flin Flon, about 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, is the largest one burning in Manitoba, at roughly 308,000 hectares as of Wednesday, when there were 25 active wildfires burning in Manitoba, several of them out of control. Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine on Wednesday called it a good sign the city is starting to make plans for re-entry, but it's still "absolutely not safe all around us" for people to come back just yet. Fontaine hopes the update gives evacuees hope and reminds them that they haven't been forgotten. "They're not just, you know, languishing out there with nobody thinking about them," he said. Grocery stores, gas stations and social services are also among the things that should be ready to serve people before residents start coming back, he said. Snow Lake plans The town of Snow Lake is also looking at plans to get people back home, though there's no specific timeline there either. Municipal emergency co-ordinator Jodi Cockle said Wednesday that the community, which was evacuated because of the same massive fire that threatened Flin Flon, has now been deemed to be under no threat from that blaze. "We have to ensure the safety of the residents before I can deem to return them back to community," Cockle said. "So we'll be working closely with those agencies over the next few days here to make sure that everybody's ramped up and ready to go back to regular living here in Snow Lake." A return to community checklist provided through Manitoba's Emergency Management Organization details essentials that need to be in place before people can go home, Cockle said. The town was evacuated — forcing more than 1,000 people from their homes — largely due to heavy wildfire smoke affecting air quality and the threat of the community losing its escape routes, she said. While an update from the town on Tuesday said the fire was roughly 30 kilometres from the townsite, a small amount of rain recently helped push that fire down, giving people in Snow Lake "what we needed," Cockle said. Lynn Lake Other communities are still mainly focused on fighting fires. Near the northern town of Lynn Lake, for example, crews are working along the edge of a fire that's grown to over 71,000 hectares to eliminate hot spots and reduce risk, an update posted on the town's Facebook page said Tuesday. The fire continues to pose a threat to the community, and warmer weather forecast for near the end of the week could make fire danger in the area even worse, the update said. A mandatory evacuation order is still in place for the town. Road access into the community has been restricted and RCMP have established a manned blockade at the Black Sturgeon Falls turnoff to enforce the evacuation order. However, Manitoba Hydro crews are scheduled to be in the community this week to start replacing infrastructure that was damaged or compromised during the wildfire fight, work the update said "will support essential power restoration efforts and help prepare for eventual re-entry."
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Flin Flon fire holding outside perimeter, more buses taking any remaining residents to Winnipeg
Rows of cars are seen evacuating Flin Flon as a wildfire threatens the area on May 28, 2025. Rows of cars are seen evacuating Flin Flon as a wildfire threatens the area on May 28, 2025. The wildfire is holding, and no assets in the city are burning. That is the latest from the City of Flin Flon as it deals with a massive wildfire that is burning just a few kilometres away. The mayor and council provided an update Thursday morning saying the fire has not crossed the perimeter in the city. 'The first is holding from last night. That was the last update we had,' said Coun. Alison Dallas-Funk There has not been air access yet in the area due to a lack of visibility, but Dallas-Funk noted there are going to be up to 125 firefighters on the ground who are coming from all over the province. A mandatory evacuation order was posted yesterday for Flin Flon, and the roughly 5,000 residents were told to be out of the community by midnight. If people were unable to leave by themselves, Dallas-Funk said two more buses are leaving the community Thursday. 'If you need to get a bus, if you cannot take yourself, please go to the community hall. If you need any more information, go to the community hall,' said Dallas-Funk. 'We are still under a state of emergency. This is a mandatory evacuation. We will not be able to find you if you do not leave right now.' Evacuees are heading to Winnipeg, and when they arrive, they are being asked to call 211. 'From there you'll be guided as far as where you're going to stay. If you're going to be placed in lodgings or hotels, then your lodgings will be paid for. If you're staying with relatives or friends, there'll be a per diem that you can collect. But that's only if you go to Winnipeg,' said Coun. Judy Eagle. Those who aren't staying in Winnipeg are told to register with the Red Cross. The province announced Wednesday night that evacuees who didn't have a place to stay were to go to Billy Mosienko Arena in Winnipeg at 709 Keewatin Street. Residents can get all the latest updates by paying attention to the Flin Flon Facebook page. Mayor George Fontaine thanked everyone who has helped Flin Flon to this point. 'The help we're getting from the outside is critical, and we appreciate it beyond words,' said Fontaine. The latest fire bulletin from the province Wednesday said the Flin Flon fire was just two kilometres away from the city and was around 20,000 hectares in size, burning out of control.
