Latest news with #Manitobans
Canada Standard
12 hours ago
- General
- Canada Standard
'We're Getting Desperate': Chinook Helicopters En Route as 2,000 Stranded by Manitoba Wildfire
Two Canadian Forces Chinook helicopters were on their way to the Pukatawagan Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba Saturday morning, where about 2,000 people were stranded with a wildfire just a kilometre away. The community, also known as the Mathias Colomb First Nation, declared an emergency after the airport was closed by a power outage and smoke, while rail lines were blocked by the flames. Located about 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, Pukatawagan has no road access, and navigation on nearby waterways is not considered safe. Chinooks have a capacity of 35 to 55 passengers plus crew. First responders previously had access to smaller helicopters that were evacuating people six to 13 at a time. "We're getting desperate now," Chief Gordie Bear told CBC News Thursday. "It's getting rougher. We're going to be heading for the lake... shortly if nothing turns out, if nothing puts the flame out." "We need more resources. We need to move them immediately," said band councillor Kelly Linklater. "The community is in a panic." "I don't even like the words 'to be patient,'" added councillor Connie Constant. "We can't be patient. We need action. We need action now." Constant was responding to Premier Wab Kinew's calls for calm, during a media briefing Friday where he tried to respond to criticisms that evacuations in First Nations communities had been slow and poorly planned. "With transportation, the Canadian Armed Forces is in the business of meticulous planning before they deploy aircraft or before they deploy their troops," Kinew said. "I understand how Manitobans might look at a given situation and have questions. But I'm here to reassure you and tell you that you have the best people leading the response." Kinew said the local hospital in The Pas was under a code orange, meaning it was preparing for a mass casualty or disaster event, CBC reports. View our latest digests On Saturday morning, Manitoba's wildfire map listed the fire near Pukatawagan, designated WE025, at 9,785 hectares and out of control. The site identified 106 active fires across the province totalling 416,340 hectares. On Thursday, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson had decried "delays in response times, delays in supports," warning that "lives are being threatened by wildfires, yet we have to sit back and we have to wait. How is that fair?" On Friday, she said the situation was becoming dire, with communities kept in the dark on what's to be done. "Nobody is communicating with us. Nobody is communicating with our leadership," she told a news conference in Winnipeg, adding that communities were getting only vague reassurances when they asked for firefighting equipment, including water pumps and hoses. "We have communities that have no electricity," she said. "They have no water. They're running out of fuel, running out food." Elsewhere, the chief of Cross Lake (Pimicikamak) Cree Nation credited Kinew with getting federal support for air evacuations, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) reports. "We have been calling on government of Canada to send the Canadian armed forces to help us. But they told me they had to wait for the province to exhaust their resources," Chief David Monias said on social media. "Thanks to Premier Wab Kinew, he called the Prime Minister and they will get the Canadian armed forces to help us." At his media conference Friday, Kinew said Manitoba has never before seen a moment where large wildfires were simultaneously burning in every part of the province. He called the crisis a "serious inflection point", with about 17,000 people evacuated from their homes so far. On Friday, Climate Central reported that inflection point was brought by an early-season heat wave made at least five times more likely by climate change. Temperatures have exceeded seasonal averages by 12.2 to 13.5C in Manitoba and by 6.6 to 11.4C in Saskatchewan, the U.S.-based analysts said, and both provinces are facing drought conditions ranging from Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought. "This kind of heat would be incredibly unlikely without climate change," Climate Central Vice President of Science Dr. Kristina Dahl said in a release. "These conditions, which set the stage for dangerous wildfires, will only become more frequent and more severe if we continue burning fossil fuels." "Climate change-driven heat dries out vegetation and sets the stage for wildfires," added wildfire specialist Kaitlyn Trudeau, the organization's senior research associate for climate science. "Combine that with persistent drought and a locked-in high-pressure system, and you have a perfect storm." Kinew said as the fires grow, thousands more evacuees can be expected and that communities like Winnipeg, Thompson, and The Pas have already stepped up to help provide food and shelter. He said he spoke with some evacuees in Winnipeg. "(It's) very scary, very tiring, long days for people who've been on the road and in the air to find their way to safety," he said. Kinew said more outside help has arrived, including 125 firefighters from the United States. Winnipeg has opened up public buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees, vacationers, businesspeople, and conventiongoers. Manitoba declared a province-wide state of emergency Wednesday to trigger a coordinated response across levels of government. In northern Manitoba, more people were leaving their homes Saturday as wildfires continued to threaten communities, The Canadian Press reports. The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage were placed under a mandatory evacuation order after fires knocked out power to the community-a situation expected to last for days. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier this week, is ongoing and officials were expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg Saturday. One of the major areas of concern is Flin Flon, a city of some 5,000 residents that has already been evacuated. A fire is burning very close to town and officials are worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the community. The forecast for the region does not call for rain in the coming days. Earlier Friday, Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine said fierce winds were threatening to breach city limits and begin burning structures in the city of 5,000, located 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, CP writes. "Unless we get one heck of a boost, (the fire) is projected to take chunks out of our town and surrounding areas," Fontaine said in an interview. "It's looking very ugly right now. "We're begging for air support (to help douse the fire). It's really crucial." Beyond Manitoba, thousands have 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, as have the 900 residents of Chateh in the northwestern corner of the province. Firefighters battling a blaze near Chipewyan Lake, Alberta, lost radio contact late Thursday and were forced to take shelter at the local fire hall and school. Major segments of this story were first published by The Canadian Press. Source: The Energy Mix
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
More evacuations ordered as crews battle wildfires burning in Manitoba
FLIN FLON — More people in northern Manitoba were told to leave their homes Saturday as wildfires continued to threaten communities and send thick smoke into the air The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage 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, 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. In Flin Flon, 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. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025. The Canadian Press
Toronto Star
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Toronto Star
More evacuations ordered as crews battle wildfires burning in Manitoba
FLIN FLON - More people in northern Manitoba are leaving their homes as wildfires continue to threaten communities. The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage have been placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fires have knocked out power to the community — a situation expected to last for days. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier this week, is ongoing and officials are expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of today. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW One of the major areas of concern is in Flin Flon, a city of some 5,000 residents that has already been evacuated. A fire is burning very close to town and officials are worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the community. 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. 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. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
21 hours ago
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
More evacuations ordered as crews battle wildfires burning in Manitoba
FLIN FLON - More people in northern Manitoba are leaving their homes as wildfires continue to threaten communities. The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage have been placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fires have knocked out power to the community — a situation expected to last for days. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier this week, is ongoing and officials are expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of today. One of the major areas of concern is in Flin Flon, a city of some 5,000 residents that has already been evacuated. A fire is burning very close to town and officials are worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the community. 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. 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. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sadly, we're not alone in facing disasters
Opinion Switzerland is a long way from Manitoba. Switzerland has alpine meadows and glaciers and mountains — Manitoba does not. Manitoba has broad swathes of flatland prairie; Switzerland does not. David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press A helicopter drops water on a wildfire near Lac du Bonnet on May 15. But both jurisdictions are feeling the destructive impact of global climate change, and both are likely to continue to reap that whirlwind. In Manitoba, regularly warmer weather is drying out the boreal forest, making wildland fires both more common and more severe. This month's fires have brought the wildfire-burned lands in Manitoba in 2025 to a staggering 200,000 hectares, almost triple the amount of forestland burned in an entire average year. And this is just May — with fires still burning out of control and some predictions of a hotter and drier than usual summer ahead, it seems reasonable to expect the amount of burned forestland to grow. From fire, to ice. Switzerland has seen its temperature rise, on average, by three degrees Celsius since the 1970s. In the process, glaciers across the European country have shrunk dramatically. Since 2020, Swiss glaciers have lost 40 per cent of their volume: in two summers alone, 2022 and 2023, the glacial loss was 10 per cent. Sometimes, the loss of glaciers seems almost placid: more meltwater flows from the foot of a glacier than it has in decades past, and the toe of the glacier slowly recedes up the long canyons built by the sheer weight and movement of rivers of grinding ice. The effects are visible over years, most commonly seen by comparing year-over-year photographs. But other times, glaciers can undergo rapid change: ice walls holding back glacial lakes collapse, or entire glacial faces can pitch down into valleys beneath them. This past week, while Manitobans were being evacuated from scores of locations and a provincial state of emergency was being declared in an effort to deal with more than 20 forest fires, a glacial collapse virtually eradicated Blatten, a small Swiss town of 300 south of the capital of Bern. Warming temperatures caused permafrost holding mountainside rockfaces together to melt. Millions of tons of rock spilled onto the surface of the Birch Glacier, and the combination of all that weight and warm weather Monday caused a second collapse, this time with the entire face of the glacier plowing down a mountainside and through the village. (Scientists had already noticed significant cracking occurring quickly on the glacier, and Blatten had been evacuated on an emergency basis on May 19.) In total, snow and rock debris several metres deep now covers more than a mile of valley. 'Nature is stronger than human beings and mountain people know this well,' Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti said. 'But what happened today is absolutely extraordinary. It was the worst we could've imagined.' In Manitoba, we also know the strength of nature, from fires to floods to extreme temperatures on both sides of freezing. And the current forest fires are close to the worst the province has ever experienced. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Will disasters like Blatten happen again? Mathieu Morlighem, a glaciologist at Dartmouth College, speaking to ABC News, said 'I think we can expect more events like this in the future.' Sadly, that holds just as true for forest fires in Manitoba as it does for glaciers in Switzerland. The Swiss are almost half a world apart from us geographically, but all too close when it comes to facing hazards from a changing climate. Sadly, we're all in this together.
