Kinew says Manitoba hotel owners should step up for wildfire evacuees

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is urging Manitoba hotels to continue opening spaces for wildfire evacuees.

WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says some hotel owners in the province are not doing enough to help wildfire evacuees.

Kinew said on Thursday after touring some fire-hit areas that while a large majority of hotel operators have been great, some need to open up rooms as there are evacuees still sleeping in cots in emergency shelters.

About 21,000 people in Manitoba have had to evacuate including from Flin Flon, Pimicikamak Cree Nation and other areas.

There’s a fire burning about five kilometres away from the First Nation, while the one near Flin Flon is the biggest one in the province at about 3,000 square kilometres.

A smaller fire is burning south of Cranberry Portage, but the community’s 600 residents are being allowed to return home starting Saturday morning.

Officials in Flin Flon, less than 50 kilometres away, have said they’re working on a re-entry plan but the fire line is “right against” the community.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.