‘Standing in a big sauna’: Manitobans describe wildfire conditions as evacuations continue

As wildfires continue to burn in various locations throughout Manitoba, some residents say they’ve had first-hand experience escaping the flames.

Delaney McIntyre told 680 CJOB her family successfully made it out of the wildfire danger zone around Sunset Beach at Clearwater Lake.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time they’ve had to dodge a blaze in the province’s north.

“Last year they had fires going on in the Flin Flon area, and we were actually caught in that as well,” McIntyre said.

“We had got the go-ahead to go towards The Pas, because we were coming from Flin Flon, but then the police went ahead of us and turned us around, and said the fire jumped the road … so it’s definitely fire season right now.”

McIntyre said her family has since made it safely to Opaskwayak Cree Nation, but evacuations in several communities north of The Pas and south of Flin Flon are ongoing.

The experience of escaping a wildfire, she said, is something hard to imagine unless you’re seeing — and feeling — it in person.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“It was super hot — you can’t feel anything until you get right beside it.

“It just felt like you were standing in a big sauna, I guess, or by a big bonfire, super close.”

At least 350 people have been evacuated, according to Lori Forbes, the emergency co-ordinator for the RM of Kelsey.

She says this fire has been a unique one compared to others they’ve seen.

“This fire is really having a mind of its own,” Forbes said. “Some people have had 30-35 years of experience fighting these wildfires, and they’re surprised by these movements. When we think it’s going to go one way, it goes another way.”

The province put restrictions in place as of Friday in an effort to curtail the spread of wildfires in dry, windy weather conditions. Beginning at 8 a.m., back-country travel on ATVs and other off-road vehicles in areas throughout Manitoba has been nixed due to concerns about the potential for more fires.

The province says there are 18 wildfires burning, primarily in the eastern part of Manitoba, with four out of control.

1:58 Dry, windy conditions bringing high wildfire risk