Latest news with #ChrisHastie
Canada Standard
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Canada Standard
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.
Iraqi News
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Iraqi News
Huge wildfires sweep across central Canada, 2 killed, 1,000 evacuated
INA- SOURCES A major wildfire burning in central Canada has killed two people, police said Wednesday, and forced 1,000 more to evacuate their homes, kicking off a fire season authorities warn could prove 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.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
Big Canada wildfire kills two, 1,000 evacuated
MONTREAL: A major wildfire burning in central Canada has killed two people, police said Wednesday, and forced 1,000 more to evacuate their homes, kicking off a fire season authorities warn could prove challenging. 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. Manitoba's 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. Evacuations 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 kilometres (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.
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First Post
15-05-2025
- Climate
- First Post
Huge wildfires sweep across central Canada, 2 killed, 1,000 evacuated
Canadian federal police have confirmed 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 read more A major wildfire burning in central Canada has killed two people, police said Wednesday, and forced 1,000 more to evacuate their homes, kicking off a fire season authorities warn could prove 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There were no reports of additional people unaccounted for, Hastie said. Manitoba's 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. Evacuations 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 kilometres (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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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.
CBC
15-05-2025
- CBC
'Worst fears' confirmed as 2 people trapped by wildfire die in southeastern Manitoba: RCMP
Police knew Tuesday people were stranded, but couldn't reach them until Wednesday because of raging wildfire The bodies of a man and a woman who got trapped as a wildfire burned near the community of Lac du Bonnet in southeastern Manitoba were recovered by police Wednesday morning, RCMP say. "This has been an incredibly challenging time for the community, and no doubt today's tragic news will make it even more difficult," Supt. Chris Hastie, commander of Manitoba RCMP's East District, said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. Mounties got a report Tuesday that people had been stranded by the out-of-control wildfire in the area, but first responders couldn't get to them until Wednesday morning because of the extreme conditions. By the time officers arrived, "we were able to confirm our worst fears," said Hastie, adding police can't confirm the victims' identities until their autopsies are done. It's believed they died from injuries sustained in the fire, he said. The bodies were discovered just off Wendigo Road in the rural municipality of Lac du Bonnet, about 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, said Hastie, adding there are no additional reports of unaccounted people related to the wildfire there. As of Wednesday afternoon, that fire — one of more than 20 burning across Manitoba — was estimated to be about 4,000 hectares in size. Another fire northeast of the Lac du Bonnet area, near Manitoba's Nopiming Provincial Park along the Ontario border, was listed as being 100,000 hectares on Wednesday. Loren Schinkel, the RM of Lac du Bonnet's reeve, said the deaths will rock what he described as "a very close-knit community." "I think it's needless to say that the whole community will be grieving with the family," Schinkel said at the news conference. Hastie said while he knows people are anxious to check on their properties, he asked residents to avoid the active fire area and let crews do their work, since conditions can change quickly. There are already dangers in the area such as hot spots, downed hydro lines and structures that have become unsafe, he said. As well, drone activity in the region had already resulted in some firefighting aircraft being grounded, said Hastie. Image | whiteshell evacuation May 13 2025 Caption: A Tuesday photo taken by Bruce Koke before he evacuated shows a fire burning near Tall Timber Lodge, northeast of Lac du Bonnet. As of Wednesday, the Lac du Bonnet fire was estimated to be about 4,000 hectares in size. Another fire northeast of the Lac du Bonnet area, near Manitoba's Nopiming Provincial Park, was listed as being 100,000 hectares on Wednesday. (Submitted by Bruce Koke) Open Image in New Tab RCMP are also at three checkpoints along Highway 313, which runs east from the town of Lac du Bonnet, to ensure only emergency vehicles are allowed into the active fire zone, he added. Hundreds have already been forced out of the cottage country community in eastern Manitoba, as the raging wildfire near Lac du Bonnet quickly grew in intensity through the late afternoon and evening Tuesday. There was a significant loss of buildings around the community's Wendigo Beach area, Schinkel said Wednesday morning. Whiteshell park to close as fires burn out of control Hot weather, dry conditions and very windy days have caused multiple fires to erupt in Manitoba, forcing people out of their homes and burning buildings — and forecast rain is not enough to help much, fire officials said Wednesday. Six states of emergency have been declared in Manitoba, and several provincial parks, local authorities, northern communities and cottage subdivisions have issued mandatory evacuation orders. Christine Stevens, an assistant deputy minister with Manitoba's Emergency Management Organization, said at Wednesday's news conference the province is "doing everything it can to make sure that people are safe." That includes the closure of the nearby Whiteshell Provincial Park on Thursday morning, she said. Another out-of-control fire near the community of Libau, about 50 kilometres west of Lac du Bonnet, was listed Wednesday as being about 5,000 hectares in size. While those fires were all detected in the last few days, the province also continues to battle an out-of-control wildfire near the northwestern Manitoba town of The Pas that's been burning since May 3. As of Wednesday, that fire was estimated to have reached 42,650 hectares in size.
