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As wildfires rage up north, a Swift Current resident and Flin Flon native is watching anxiously.
Carrie Davis grew up in Flin Flon, and has been keeping a close eye on the updates.
"It's very stressful," Davis said. "Every day, the news is different. Last weekend, the mayor had said it was make it or break it for the town. Then we felt we were in the clear, but then we lost Denare Beach.
"A bunch of people lost their homes. You were literally listening or watching on Facebook. I saw quite a few friends down there, they would pull them out and have to watch their house burn. There was nothing they could do."
While Flin Flon sits in Manitoba, Creighton and Danare Beach are in Saskatchewan.
"When you live there, you don't look at that," Davis said. "We're just a community of one. Everybody is devastated by Danare Beach. It's just a waiting game."
Davis' mother had to get quick help from her landlord to evacuate to a nearby community before her son-in-law, Darwin, was able to race to Manitoba and pick her up.
The whole community is in a holding pattern.
"They have no idea when they'll return home," Davis said. "I have friends with five kids staying in hotels and two dogs. Everybody's routine is different. It's been really tough."
The fire activity up north has left Davis' mother considering her future.
"She's said a couple of times she's not sure she wants to live up north," Davis said. "At the same time, I know she wants home. My mom has lived on her own for as long as I know. It's hard for her, and I know she's grateful, and I hear that with a lot of people who are evacuated at other people's houses... they're grateful, but they're feeling guilty as they've upended other people's routines."
Davis doesn't remember experiencing anything like this when she grew up in Flin Flon.
"This is the worst," she said. "It's not normal. It's the same with the wind. We didn't have wind up there (like this). I've never been through this, and neither has my mom."
Officials say no structures have been lost in Flin Flon or Creighton as of last night. However, winds in the area are now blowing from the south, resulting in heavy smoke and fire moving towards the south side of Flin Flon.
"Fire protection, including sprinklers, has been set up, and fire crews will be working in the Channing area to protect property in the area," said city officials in a post on Facebook.
As of Friday, the Sherridon, Creighton, and Wolf Lake fires have merged, and the fire has now grown to approximately 140 kilometres long and five kilometres wide.
A total of 260 emergency personnel are fighting the fires, with approximately 100 assisting in Creighton and 150 in Flin Flon.
You can donate to the cause through the Manitoba Red Cross as a part of the Manitoba Day of Caring.
How you can contribute:
- Donate online: Click here
- Text-to-donate: Text RADIO to 20222 to donate $10
- Share the message: Use #MBDayOfCaring on social media
With files from Colleen Houde