Northern Manitoba community faces evacuation order as wildfire burns out of control

A community in northern Manitoba has issued an evacuation order due to an ongoing forest fire in the area.

Beverly Linklater with Mathias Colomb First Nation confirms an evacuation order for Pukatawagan was issued on community radio Thursday afternoon.

She says elders and chronically-ill people will be the first to evacuate, with evacuees heading to communities including Cranberry Portage, The Pas, Winnipeg and Swan River.

Northern Manitoba air charter service Missinippi Airways says it will work to help the evacuation.

Manitoba’s wildfire map shows a fire approximately 1,800 hectares in size is burning near Pukatawagan and is listed as out of control. 

The province says the fire started on July 13. (CTV Wpg)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2022.