The highways now open in Whiteshell Provincial Park

More roads in Whiteshell Provincial Park have opened as wildfire fighting efforts continue in Manitoba’s east.

More highways in Whiteshell Provincial Park are reopening following wildfire-related closures earlier this month.

The province announced Monday that Highway 307 from Highway 11 to Betula Lake has reopened to traffic after it was closed due to the wildfire threat.

Highway 301 from Falcon Lake to the Highway 1 underpass has been opened but is restricted to local traffic.

However, three highways in the park remain closed to all traffic due to the conditions, including:

-Highway 44 from West Hawk Lake to Rennie;

-Highway 301 from the Highway 1 underpass to PTH 44 at West Hawk; and

-Highway 307 from Betula Lake to Rennie.

The province announced Sunday that residents and cottagers of the Pointe Du Bois area could return as progress had been made in fighting wildfires in the area near Whiteshell and Nopiming provincial parks.

17 wildfires currently burning in Manitoba

As of Monday afternoon, the province said there are 17 active wildfires across the province, up from 12 reported in Friday’s bulletin.

The Manitoba Wildfire Service says most of the province has a high fire danger, while the northwest corner is listed as extreme.

In northern Manitoba, the province is dealing with three fires of note. One roughly five kilometres away from Cross Lake is approximately 1,625 hectares in size, out of control, and a state of local emergency has been declared. The community has started evacuations of priority one individuals.

Another fire, located six kilometres from Lynn Lake, is 7,064 hectares and out of control.

The province is also dealing with an out-of-control fire two kilometres from Wabowden, where a state of local emergency has been declared. The fire is 37 hectares in size.

Evacuations have also taken place in Sherridon, where a fire burns 18 kilometres away from the community. The out-of-control fire is roughly 6,320 hectares.

The fire near Bird River remains out of control and is 121,750 hectares.

A state of local emergency in Nopiming, Wallace Lake, South Atikaki and Manigotagan River provincial parks has been extended until June 20. A full fire ban in all provincial parks in Manitoba remains in effect.

-With files from CTV’s Devon McKendrick