Largest wildfire in Manitoba over 300,000 hectares in size

Cooler temperatures are helping firefighters get a handle on fighting wildfires in Manitoba, but they aren’t out of the woods yet. Taylor Brock has more.

Wildfires burning near Flin Flon and Sherridon in Manitoba have now combined to create one large wildfire.

At a news conference Thursday, the province said the fire threatening Flin Flon, which started in Saskatchewan, jumped the border and has combined with the Sherridon fire. It is estimated to be over 307,000 hectares on the Manitoba side of the border alone, the province said.

It is the largest of 27 wildfires currently burning in Manitoba.

Manitoba Wildfire Service assistant deputy minister Kristin Hayward said the province has had favourable conditions in the past couple of days to help fight the flames.

“We have had cooler temperatures, a little bit higher humidity. Winds generally have been fairly low to moderate,” she said. “We are expecting that general trend to continue, which will be helpful for our efforts.”

However, Hayward noted precipitation in the forecast this weekend is not considered significant enough to put out the flames.

Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie said more than 650 firefighters have been deployed to Manitoba - 175 of which are from the U.S. or out of province. More than 57 aircraft are also helping to douse the flames, he said.

More than 18,000 people have registered with the Canadian Red Cross as evacuees.

Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor said Thursday that most evacuees have been moved from congregate shelters in Winnipeg to hotels or are staying with friends and family.

“These evacuees have shown incredible patience and resilience throughout a time that, for many, may be one of the most difficult of their lives,” she said.

New portal for updated wildfire info

The province also launched a new web portal to help Manitobans be aware of changing conditions.

Called MB Ready, the platform will feature current information on wildfires, natural disasters and other public safety hazards in the province.

The portal can be found online, and will be updated to improve responsiveness and accessibility, the province said.