With a hotter, drier-than-average summer forecasted for Portage la Prairie and surrounding areas, the recent death of a rescued bear cub is casting a sobering light on the often unseen impact that wildfires have on wildlife. The incident prompts renewed calls for caution and awareness as fire season is only set to intensify.
Last week, nearly 1,000 people were forced to evacuate as a fast-moving wildfire near the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, fuelled by hot, dry, and windy conditions, swept through the area. The fire destroyed 28 homes and cottages and tragically claimed the lives of two people, as well as an uncounted number of wildlife.
A cub lost to fire
Amid the wreckage, a bear cub, later named Sayen, arrived at Black Bear Rescue Manitoba on the evening of May 15th after being found alone near the fire zone on Wendigo Road. Judy Stearns, owner of the rescue centre, believes the cub was separated from her mother during the blaze.
“She had smoke inhalation when she arrived and congested lungs,” Stearns recalls. “We could hear she wasn’t breathing well. All four of her feet were badly burned, and she had other injuries too.”
A veterinarian immediately examined Sayen. Despite initial hopes and a treatment plan, the tiny cub, who was only seven pounds, succumbed to her injuries on the morning of May 17th.
“There was a chance she might pull through, but it was too much for her body. She was a tiny little thing," she says.
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Born into fire season
Sayen was estimated to be about three months old and born in early February, right at the start of what’s already shaping up to be a volatile fire season in Manitoba. Her death reflects what Stearns and other wildlife advocates fear is only the beginning.
“Sayen is an emblem of what’s happening out there, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Thousands of animals are killed or injured during fires like these. Whenever there’s a fire, I worry because it has a real negative impact on the animals who live there. There’s no evacuation help for them."
The lasting fffects of wildfires
Wildfires present immediate threats like burns and smoke inhalation, but the longer-term effects are just as devastating, especially for species like bears.
“There’s going to be direct mortality, of course, but survivors can be left with injuries, weakened immune systems, or no access to food. Bears rely on vegetation, berries, and insects, which fires can completely wipe out. That forces them to migrate into unfamiliar and dangerous territory. Cubs can be orphaned and left defenseless, as we saw with Sayen," she explains.
A centre in need
Black Bear Rescue Manitoba receives no government funding and operates entirely on public donations, which are more urgently needed during fire season.
“We rely 100% on public donations to keep our doors open," she says. "If anybody wants to help, they can find more information on our Facebook or Instagram pages.”
Remembering Sayen
Sayen, an Indigenous name meaning 'she who is sweet and lovely', was chosen by Stearns’ husband, Roger. They give the rescued bears names alphabetically, and Sayen was their “S” cub.
“She was a victim of this. If people see her face and think about the life she lost, maybe that will help persuade more people to take fire bans seriously. We hope that she’ll always be remembered.”