Northern Manitoba has been hit hard by wildfires the last couple of years and as May comes to a close, residents of Flin Flon are now on alert..
A fast-moving wildfire near the community has prompted the northern Manitoba city to issue an evacuation pre-alert, urging residents to prepare to leave quickly if the situation worsens.
The fire, which began Monday at a landfill in Creighton, Saskatchewan, spread eastward into forested areas and jumped the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border by Tuesday. Both Flin Flon and Creighton are now on high alert, with roughly 5,000 residents potentially impacted.
Tanya Cote, longtime teacher at Fort la Reine School, grew up in Flin Flon and still has family in the city. She says her mom is ready to leave if the order is given.
"It's very scary. Many of my family members also have cabins in the fire zone and some might be destroyed. This happened just south of the city last year as well. It is very stressful for my many friends and family who live there including my 92 year old grandma."
Dry conditions and the proximity of the flames led city officials to issue the pre-alert on social media Tuesday night. While no evacuation order has been made, residents are being asked to take precautions: fuel vehicles, gather important documents, medications, and essentials, and stay tuned to the City of Flin Flon’s social media channels for further updates.
City officials are also encouraging anyone who may need assistance in the event of an evacuation to register with city hall. An evacuation centre will be set up if needed.
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Road closures were already in effect Tuesday afternoon, with both Cliff Lake Road and Kisseynew Lake Road shut down due to fire conditions. Other highways in the area have also been closed due to the fire situation.
The province is monitoring the wildfire closely and says more details will be shared on Wednesday.
For decades, residents were used to the smelter smoke that would often settle over the city from the local mine. Smelting ended in the community years ago but it is wildfire smoke that is now the cause of the special air quality statements for the region.
