Latest news with #DavidMonias
Edmonton Journal
20 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Worsening wildfires prompt more evacuations in northern Manitoba
Article content People in a few smaller communities nearby were put on a two-hour evacuation notice after a fire jumped across a highway. 'Please start getting ready and making plans to stay with family and friends as accommodations are extremely limited,' Lori Forbes, the emergency coordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, posted on social media. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba, which started earlier in the week, ramped up further on Saturday. Officials were expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of the day. 'The wildfire has crossed the main road, and the area remains filled with smoke and ash,' Chief David Monias wrote on Facebook. Manitoba's Indigenous leaders, including Monias, told a news conference on Saturday that hotel rooms in the cities where evacuees are arriving are full, and they called for politicians like Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Wab Kinew to issue a directive to hotel owners to give evacuees priority.
Vancouver Sun
20 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Worsening wildfires prompt more evacuations in northern Manitoba
More people in northern Manitoba were told to leave their homes Saturday, and Saskatchewan's premier warned the number of evacuees in his province will likely climb as wildfires continued to threaten communities and send thick smoke into the air. The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage in northwestern Manitoba were placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fire had knocked out power to the community — a situation expected to last for days. People in a few smaller communities nearby were put on a two-hour evacuation notice after a fire jumped across a highway. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Please start getting ready and making plans to stay with family and friends as accommodations are extremely limited,' Lori Forbes, the emergency coordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, posted on social media. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba, which started earlier in the week, ramped up further on Saturday. Officials were expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of the day. 'The wildfire has crossed the main road, and the area remains filled with smoke and ash,' Chief David Monias wrote on Facebook. Manitoba's Indigenous leaders, including Monias, told a news conference on Saturday that hotel rooms in the cities where evacuees are arriving are full, and they called for politicians like Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Wab Kinew to issue a directive to hotel owners to give evacuees priority. Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said it was one of the largest evacuations in the province since the 1990s. 'It's really sad to see our children having to sleep on floors. People are sitting, waiting in hallways, waiting outside, and right now, we just need people to come together. People are tired,' Wilson said at the news conference. 'We need to make sure that we have space for our people.' In Flin Flon, Man., where the city's 5,000 residents had already been evacuated, an out-of-control fire continued to burn very close to the community. There were no structure fires as of Saturday morning, but officials were worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the city. Some 17,000 Manitobans have had to leave their homes due to fires, and the forecast in the Flin Flon region does not call for rain in the coming days. More emergency centres across the province have been opened for evacuees, as far south as Winkler, 20 kilometres north of the U.S. border. Thousands have also been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with 1,300 people in the community of Swan Hills northwest of Edmonton already forced from their homes. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference Saturday that ongoing hot, dry weather is allowing some fires to grow and threaten communities, and that the current figure of 8,000 fire evacuees could climb to 10,000. Resources to fight the fires and support the evacuees are stretched thin, the premier acknowledged. 'The next four to seven days are absolutely critical until we can find our way to changing weather patterns, and ultimately a soaking rain throughout the north,' Moe said. 'That's why we are asking people in the north to be very, very careful. We cannot manage and handle a single other fire.' Manitoba's daily fire bulletin on Saturday said there is a small chance of rain for some areas, but the rain could be accompanied by thunderstorms and the risk of more lighting-started fires. It said there could also be a risk of very strong winds in western Manitoba which could drive fire behaviour. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
National Post
20 hours ago
- Climate
- National Post
Worsening wildfires prompt more evacuations in northern Manitoba
More people in northern Manitoba were told to leave their homes Saturday, and Saskatchewan's premier warned the number of evacuees in his province will likely climb as wildfires continued to threaten communities and send thick smoke into the air. Article content Article content The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage in northwestern Manitoba were placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fire had knocked out power to the community — a situation expected to last for days. Article content Article content People in a few smaller communities nearby were put on a two-hour evacuation notice after a fire jumped across a highway. Article content Article content An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba, which started earlier in the week, ramped up further on Saturday. Officials were expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of the day. Article content 'The wildfire has crossed the main road, and the area remains filled with smoke and ash,' Chief David Monias wrote on Facebook. Article content Manitoba's Indigenous leaders, including Monias, told a news conference on Saturday that hotel rooms in the cities where evacuees are arriving are full, and they called for politicians like Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Wab Kinew to issue a directive to hotel owners to give evacuees priority. Article content Article content Article content In Flin Flon, Man., where the city's 5,000 residents had already been evacuated, an out-of-control fire continued to burn very close to the community. There were no structure fires as of Saturday morning, but officials were worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the city.
Global News
21 hours ago
- Climate
- Global News
As Manitoba wildfires rage, premier asks more people to evacuate
More people in northern Manitoba were told to leave their homes Saturday and Saskatchewan's premier warned the number of evacuees in his province will likely climb as wildfires continued to threaten communities and send thick smoke into the air. The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage in northwestern Manitoba were placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fire had knocked out power to the community — a situation expected to last for days. People in a few smaller communities nearby were put on a two-hour evacuation notice after a fire jumped across a highway. 'Please start getting ready and making plans to stay with family and friends as accommodations are extremely limited,' Lori Forbes, the emergency coordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, posted on social media. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba, which started earlier in the week, ramped up further on Saturday. Officials were expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of the day. Story continues below advertisement 'The wildfire has crossed the main road, and the area remains filled with smoke and ash,' Chief David Monias wrote on Facebook. Manitoba's Indigenous leaders, including Monias, told a news conference on Saturday that hotel rooms in the cities where evacuees are arriving are full, and they called for politicians like Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Wab Kinew to issue a directive to hotel owners to give evacuees priority. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said it was one of the largest evacuations in the province since the 1990s. 'It's really sad to see our children having to sleep on floors. People are sitting, waiting in hallways, waiting outside, and right now we just need people to come together. People are tired,' Wilson said at the news conference. 'We need to make sure that we have space for our people.' In Flin Flon, Man., where the city's 5,000 residents had already been evacuated, an out-of-control fire continued to burn very close to the community. There were no structure fires as of Saturday morning, but officials were worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the city. Some 17,000 Manitobans have had to leave their homes due to fires, and the forecast in the Flin Flon region does not call for rain in the coming days. Story continues below advertisement 2:12 Manitoba wildfire evacuees face uncertain future More emergency centres across the province have been opened for evacuees, as far south as Winkler, 20 kilometres north of the U.S. border. Thousands have also been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with 1,300 people in the community of Swan Hills northwest of Edmonton already forced from their homes. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference Saturday that ongoing hot, dry weather is allowing some fires to grow and threaten communities, and that the current figure of 8,000 fire evacuees could climb to 10,000. Resources to fight the fires and support the evacuees are stretched thin, the premier acknowledged. 'The next four to seven days are absolutely critical until we can find our way to changing weather patterns, and ultimately a soaking rain throughout the north,' Moe said. Story continues below advertisement 'That's why we are asking people in the north to be very, very careful. We cannot manage and handle a single other fire.' Manitoba's daily fire bulletin on Saturday said there is a small chance of rain for some areas, but the rain could be accompanied by thunderstorms and the risk of more lighting-started fires. It said there could also be a risk of very strong winds in western Manitoba which could drive fire behaviour.
2 days ago
- Climate
Wildfires burning across central Canada force additional evacuation orders and more shelters to open
FLIN FLON, Manitoba -- Roughly 17,000 residents in the Canadian province of Manitoba have been evacuated because of nearly two dozen active wildfires, officials said Saturday. More than 5,000 of those are from Flin Flon, where there is no rain in the immediate forecast. There have been no structure fires in the city located nearly 645 kilometers (400 miles) northwest of the provincial capital of Winnipeg as of Saturday morning, but officials worry that a change in wind direction could bring the fire into town. Manitoba declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as the fires burning from the northwest to the southeast forced evacuations in several communities in the province directly north of the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota. Smoke from the fires is being pushed south into some parts of the U.S., worsening air quality. Thousands have also been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with 1,300 people in the community of Swan Hills northwest of Edmonton forced from their homes. In northern Manitoba, fire knocked out power to the community of Cranberry Portage, forcing a mandatory evacuation order Saturday for about 600 residents. People living in smaller nearby communities were told to prepare to evacuate after a fire jumped a highway. 'Please start getting ready and making plans to stay with family and friends as accommodations are extremely limited,' Lori Forbes, the emergency coordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, posted on social media. Evacuation centers have opened across the province for those fleeing the fires, including one as far south as Winkler, Manitoba, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the U.S. border. Evacuations that started earlier in the week for Pimicikamak Cree Nation ramped up Saturday, when five flights were expected to take residents to Winnipeg. 'The wildfire has crossed the main road, and the area remains filled with smoke and ash,' Chief David Monias wrote on social media. Winnipeg has opened up public buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees, vacationers, business people and convention-goers. The fire menacing Flin Flon began Monday near Creighton, Saskatchewan, and quickly jumped the boundary into Manitoba. Crews have struggled to contain it. Water bombers have been intermittently grounded due to heavy smoke and a drone incursion. The 1,200 or so residents of Creighton have also been ordered out, many of whom have gone to nearby Nipawin, Saskatchewan. In total, more than 8,000 people have fled wildfires in Saskatchewan. Canada's wildfire season runs from May through September. Its worst-ever wildfire season was in 2023. It choked much of North America with dangerous smoke for months.
