Ongoing wildfires in the Interlake region have caused more than 700 people from Manitoba First Nations to begin evacuating Wednesday night, with help from the Red Cross.
Most of the evacuees have been set up with Winnipeg hotel rooms, with some also headed to Dauphin.
“It’s those with the biggest health concerns that could be impacted by the smoke,” Red Cross spokesman Jason Small told Global News.
“So we’re looking at elders, small children, and people with medical conditions, so those people are identified by the communities as the people that they feel need to be evacuated.”
Communities that have been or are in the process of being evacuated due to the ongoing flames include Lake St. Martin, Misipawistik, Little Saskatchewan, Pinyamootang, Dauphin River, Mis and Skownan First Nations.
The Homebrook fire is estimated to be around 80 kilometres long and 16 kilometres wide at its highest point.
The fire in the RM of Grahamdale near Lake St. Martin and Dauphin River is estimated to be 1,100 hectares, but the province says the situation is improving.
Officials continue to fight fires in the RM of Piney/Sandilands, Netley Creek/Libau, Whitemouth Bog, Caddy Lake, Shilo/Spruce Woods Provincial Park, RM of Mountain North-Bellsite, and Cowan.
According to the province, there were 30 fires burning across Manitoba as of Thursday afternoon, eight of which are considered ‘out of control’.
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