New evacuation in northern Manitoba due to wildfire threat

President of the Manitoba Metis Federation David Chartrand on the evacuation efforts in Manitoba as thousands are displaced by wildfires.

Wildfire activity in Manitoba is expected to pick up again after a few days of cooler weather and rain, the province said on Thursday, noting another community has announced an evacuation of its residents.

Christine Stevens, assistant deputy minister with the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, said the Island Lake and Stevenson Island communities in northern Manitoba have announced evacuations.

Ten people will be leaving the communities, with five staying behind to help protect important infrastructure.

“There’s an airport, a water treatment plant and that community supports Garden Hill First Nation as well,” Stevens said.

Two planes will be coming to help move evacuees Thursday and Friday.

Stevens said nine communities in Manitoba have currently been evacuated.

Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister of the Manitoba Wildfire Service, said fire danger remains high to very high throughout the province, with an area in the province’s northeast under extreme fire danger.

“We’re definitely starting to see fire activity pick up as things dry out,” Hayward said. “We continue to see starts from lightning, as thundershowers have, and continue to move through the province.”

There are 118 fires currently burning in Manitoba, Hayward said.