Latest news with #Piney
CBC
20-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Evacuated residents returning to RM of Piney
Hundreds of people in the RM of Piney were evacuated after an out-of-control wildfire burned in the area. After days of uncertainty, the evacuation order has been lifted and the community can return home.
CBC
19-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Wildfire evacuees anxious as RM of Piney says return home will take time
Social Sharing People in southern Manitoba who were forced out of their town because of an out-of-control wildfire may have to wait a while to return home, officials say. Manitoba Wildfire Services were set to meet their goal of 70 per cent containment of the nearly 9,000-hectare fire Monday — but an evacuation order remains in effect, the RM of Piney said in a social media post this weekend. Woodridge, about 85 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, was among the towns in the rural municipality issued with the order as the fire turned out of control early last week. Wayne Anderson, reeve of the RM of Piney, said Monday around 300 people were evacuated in Woodridge. "Everybody's getting anxious and wanting to lift [the evacuation] and they're wanting to come home," he said. "There are a few people that refuse to leave. And of course, we can't force them." The reeve said the rural municipality received 15 millimetres of rain at the end of the week, which helped firefighting efforts. But Anderson said lifting the evacuation order may still take a few days. "It takes time, but … we got a very dry forest and high winds," Anderson said. "This cold weather is helping, but until the fire is fully contained we don't feel comfortable … telling them to come back. And then if a spark jumps the 100-foot barrier or something, then we're all going to have to evacuate again." Woodridge resident Mason Hildebrand has been staying in Steinbach. He said most evacuees he's with are "already sick" of being stuck at a hotel, and want to go back home. "It's a little bit discouraging not being able to be in town in our own homes," he said. "But at the same time at least we're all safe." The RM of Piney said in a social media update Monday afternoon the winds are currently not working on their favour. Donald Hrynyk said his home is safe, but the fire was closing in on it only a few days ago. "This wind is turning the fire around, so we have to wait and see," he said. Lac du Bonnet fire no longer out of control There are currently 13 active wildfires in Manitoba, and there have been 81 fires so far this year. The average for this time in the province is 61. The 4,000-hectare fire which killed two people in the RM of Lac du Bonnet is no longer ruled to be out of control. About 150 people displaced by that fire were allowed to return home Sunday. Three fires remain out of control as of Monday: The Piney fire, a fire in Ingolf, Ont., that's spread into Manitoba, and the fire at Nopiming Provincial Park, which is the largest. The province said Monday the Nopiming fire was 101,000 hectares in size and about a kilometre away from Bird River. It said 20 properties around Beresford Lake — which is north of the fire — have been damaged. B.C. firefighters redeployed from The Pas to Nopiming In northern Manitoba, officials are still monitoring a wildfire that was first detected on May 3 and has since grown to more than 42,000 hectares. That fire was no longer out of control as of Thursday. B.C. Wildfire Service says 21 out of the 42 crews sent out to The Pas to help fight the fires have been redeployed in Nopiming, but the rest still remain in northern Manitoba. At least 290 residents were forced out of their homes in RM of Kelsey because of the fire, with crews counting more than 90 evacuees from the Clearwater Lake Provincial Park area. They began returning home last week. Lori Forbes, emergency services coordinator for the rural municipality, said the fire destroyed three home as well as some livestock. Manitoba Wildfire Services "are doing aerial with helicopters, they do infrared checking for hotspots just to ensure everything is out and cool. So those have been happening in the early mornings," Forbes said.
CBC
17-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Manitoba battling 16 wildfires by Friday, largest blazes clustered in the southeast
The number of active wildfires in Manitoba was slightly reduced by Friday, but with more than a dozen still burning the province has heightened restrictions for open blazes and travel out east. There have been 81 wildfires in Manitoba so far this year — 16 of them are still active, according to a fire bulletin issued by the province on Friday. The number is down from 21 wildfires the province said were active by Thursday. The largest active wildfire in the province, near Nopiming Provincial Park, stretches nearly 100,000 hectares, according to the province. That fire has forced the evacuation of Bernic Lake Mine, 180 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and close to the Ontario border. The closest wildfire to Lac du Bonnet, where at least 800 people were evacuated from their homes earlier this week, was six kilometres away from the rural municipality by Friday. That blaze has burned approximately 4,000 hectares to date. The wildfire in Ingolf, Ont., has spread over 4,000 hectares into Manitoba's east, where the province has declared a local state of emergency, a mandatory evacuation, and the temporary closure of Whiteshell Provincial Park. In the rural municipality of Piney, near the U.S. border, crews, including helicopters, are battling a wildfire that has spread over 7,000 hectares near the town of Carrick. A wildfire is also burning two kilometres away from the Rural Municipality of Libau, about 50 kilometres north of Winnipeg. According to the fire bulletin, the fire was approximately 5,000 hectares in size by Friday. A wildfire is still burning close to The Pas in Manitoba's northwest, spreading over 40,100 hectares by Friday. Travel and fire restrictions The Manitoba Wildfire Service is heightening the level of travel and fire restrictions in the province's southeast corner. From the U.S. border to Highway 304, east of Lake Winnipeg, backcountry travel, including with ATV, motorized vehicles and off-road vehicles is no longer allowed, unless with a permit issued by a local conservation officer for industrial operations. There is no access for outfitters, except for staff necessary to protect property under a travel permit. A full fire ban remains in effect and all existing burning permits have now been cancelled in this area, according to the province.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Piney wildfire inches closer to cottage communities
Scattered showers have helped to shrink one of the wildfires threatening a number of Manitoba communities, but it is still not enough to lift evacuation orders. The RM of Piney released an update Thursday, noting the fire was estimated to be just under 8,000 hectares. On Thursday morning, it was 3.5 kilometres away from the townsite in Woodridge and just over one kilometre from Badger, the RM wrote. 'Heavy machinery and helicopter buckets are working non-stop building fire guards in the areas Manitoba Wildfire Services feels are necessary,' the post said. The good news—the region had some rain overnight, which helped to modestly shrink the wildfire's scope. 'It's a sprinkling and it's very scattered showers—like one or two millimetres, and what we need is like 25 millimetres,' RM of Piney Reeve Wayne Anderson told CTV News Winnipeg. St. Labre wildfire A wildfire nears St. Labre, Man. on May 13, 2025. (Gary Hora) Two structures, a home and a garage, were previously confirmed to have been destroyed. Anderson said another structure is suspected to have burned as well. So far, hundreds of people have registered at the reception centre set up at the Piney Community Centre, but Anderson said they still don't have a full picture of how many people were displaced. He urged all evacuees to register so they can get an accurate headcount and connect them with resources. Staff and volunteers are also on-site offering food and refreshments to evacuees. Anyone who needs a place to stay can stay the night, Anderson said. The province has also set up lodging for evacuees at a number of hotels. Details can be found on the RM's Facebook page. (hyperlink) With more rain in the forecast, Anderson hopes some relief is on the horizon. 'We're hanging in there. We're at the emergency operation centre from early morning till late night.'
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Structures destroyed as Piney wildfire grows ‘substantially'
A wildfire threatening a swath of southeastern Manitoba has grown substantially and destroyed at least two structures, officials say. The RM of Piney posted an update Wednesday morning that the wildfire that forced the evacuation of several communities Tuesday has now grown to 7,000 hectares. It covers over 7.5 kilometres along PR 203 northwest of Badger from the power line all the way to Fireguard 14, the update said. The fire reached the tracks at Carrick, but did not jump them, the post said. Firefighters are now focusing on this area, with helicopters and heavy machinery working to create fire guards around the blaze. 'RM fire crews will keep setting up sprinkles along properties and homes that the fire is threatening. Currently, there are two known structures that have been lost,' the post said. Evacuation orders were issued Tuesday for residents south of Whitemouth Lake Road, Carrick, and St. Labre. A reception centre is set up at the community centre in neighbouring Woodridge. According to the province's fire map, the wildfire initially broke out Saturday and is said to be out of control. Dozens of wildfires burning across Manitoba The blaze is one of 22 burning in the province, according to the province's latest fire situation report issued Tuesday. Three were characterized as out of control and were all in eastern Manitoba. A number of communities in the Lac du Bonnet area were also hastily evacuated Tuesday as a separate wildfire erupted in that region. The province estimated its size Tuesday at 5,000 hectares. The province declared a state of local emergency Tuesday in Nopiming, Wallace Lake, South Atikaki, and Manigotagan River provincial parks and ordered an immediate evacuation of Nopiming Provincial Park.
