Two people confirmed dead in Manitoba wildfire

Two people were found dead Wednesday morning in a wildfire ravaged area of Manitoba. Danton Unger reports.

Two people have died in a wildfire in Lac du Bonnet, according to RCMP.

Mounties confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the bodies of two people, believed to be an adult man and woman, were recovered that morning in the area of Wendigo Road in the RM of Lac du Bonnet.

“While we cannot confirm their identities until an autopsy is completed, we were aware that these individuals had been trapped in the fire,” Supt. Chris Hastie said during a news conference.

“Due to extreme conditions yesterday afternoon, emergency personnel were not able to reach the location until this morning.”

At this time, there are no other reports of unaccounted people due to the wildfire, Hastie said.

Loren Schinkel, the reeve of the RM of Lac Du Bonnet, called the deaths tragic.

“We’re a very close-knit community here, and certainly the family, friends, and loved ones that have been impacted by this have our profound sympathies at this news,” he said.

In a social media post Wednesday afternoon, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew offered his condolences.

“My heart goes out to their loved ones,” the premier wrote on X. “On behalf of the province, we’re committed to doing everything we can to support Manitobans during this difficult time.”

A number of communities in the region were evacuated Tuesday after a wildfire broke out in the area.

It was last estimated to measure 100,000 hectares.

There are three checkpoints along Highway 313 to ensure only emergency vehicles are entering the active fire zone, Hastie said. He knows residents are anxious to check on their properties, but added conditions can change rapidly in the area.

“There are hot spots, downed hydro lines, as well as dangerous structures,” he said. “We also have a very large number of firefighters, conservation officers and hydro workers doing critical work at this time.”