As wildfire activity continues to impact northern Manitoba, the City of Portage la Prairie is once again preparing to welcome evacuees if the need arises.
The Portage Curling Club has been outfitted with cots and is ready to operate as a temporary shelter. While no evacuees have arrived so far, city officials say they have not received notification that any are currently en route.
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More than a thousand residents have already been evacuated from Garden Hill First Nation due to nearby wildfires. The community, located about 500 kilometres north of Winnipeg, is only accessible by air. The Canadian Armed Forces reports that a Hercules aircraft remains on standby in Winnipeg should additional evacuations be required.
Meanwhile, residents in places like Thompson are being advised to stay prepared. Fire crews are making progress thanks to light winds, cooler temperatures, and recent rainfall, which have helped slow the fire’s spread.
This isn’t the first time Portage has stepped in to help. Just last month, the community hosted more than 250 evacuees at the curling club and in local hotels.
Mayor Sharilyn Knox is encouraging Portage la Prairie residents to follow her on social media for the latest local updates as the wildfire situation evolves across the province.
Canada's emergency management minister Eleanor Olszewski says she's approved an additional request for federal assistance from the Manitoba government.
The most recent assistance would be put toward humanitarian workforce support for emergency evacuation and sheltering activities.
Manitoba declared its second provincewide state of emergency of the year last week.
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