Smoke has filled the air this week in the wake of the Manitoba wildfires.
The Winkler Fire Department (WFD) has confirmed its involvement in helping fight the ongoing 2025 provincial wildfires, answering the call to assist fellow Manitobans through a well-coordinated mutual aid system.
In a recent social media update, WFD addressed public inquiries about their role in the firefighting efforts, stating, “[We’ve] fielded some questions the last few days about our involvement in the 2025 provincial wildfire situation. Winkler & WFD are no strangers to helping our fellow Manitobans in these types of situations.”
WFD is part of the Pembina Triangle Mutual Aid District (PTMAD), which includes nine fire departments. When wildfires threaten communities, the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) can request help from PTMAD for structural fire protection.
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“The PTMAD Coordinator will receive requests from the Office of The Fire Commissioner (OFC) to assist with community structural fire protection needs such as what we did 2 weeks ago in Woodridge and Badger,” the post explained.
Departments within the PTMAD then assess their available resources and determine what equipment and personnel can be deployed, all while ensuring their home communities remain protected.
“The PTMAD departments determine the equipment & manpower that can be provided to assist the OFC for the need at hand. The PTMAD coordinator and the fire chiefs, will ensure that we still cover all the 911 calls in our communities… aka ‘the mutual aid shuffle’.”
The department concluded its post by expressing gratitude to local leaders and residents: “Until the next request for help… we thank our Councils and communities for their unwavering support!”
Winkler and surrounding fire departments' contribution underscores the importance of regional cooperation and the dedication of local fire crews in times of crisis.
- With files from https://www.facebook.com/winklerfire290