In August, thousands of Manitobans were sent fleeing from four First Nations following wildfires.
At the same time, Red Cross Manitoba made sure those evacuees, many sent running with just the clothes on their backs, would have a place to stay, food to eat, and the essentials they needed.
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“On August 10 we saw the first evacuees from Poplar River First Nation come out, and then August 29 was the start of the Island Lakes evacuation,” Cailin Hodder with Red Cross Manitoba said.
More than 6,300 evacuees in total were housed across the province and more than 250 volunteers stepped up to the plate to lend a helping hand.
“We’ve been here everyday, some of us have been even sleeping in the office for multiple days,” Hodder said.
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While all evacuees are expected to be in their own beds by September 19, volunteers said a lot of work still remains.
Pamela Rybak is one of the volunteers who flew in from Ontario to lend a helping hand. She said she’s been doing this for 27 years and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
“I just felt it was needed,” Rybak said.
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