‘We need a miracle’: Wildfire now less than 1 km from ICYA’s Gem Lake camp

A beloved wilderness camp operated by a Winnipeg inner-city ministry is under immediate threat from a fast-moving wildfire near Nopiming Provincial Park.

Kent Dueck, founder and executive director of Inner City Youth Alive, says the fire is now burning less than one kilometre from Gem Lake Wilderness Camp, a remote site that has served as a safe haven for at-risk youth from Winnipeg's inner city for nearly two decades.

"We're praying for a miracle," Dueck told CHVN in an interview Friday morning. “Right now, the camp’s future is in the balance.”

Military joins race to evacuate 3,000 as wildfire threatens Pukatawagan

Over 3,000 people are trapped as a wildfire closes in on Pukatawagan in the Mathais Colomb First Nation. 

Chief Gordie Bear declared an evacuation in the community on Wednesday, and it's reported that thick smoke led to the closure of their airport, one of the only remaining ways out of the area. 

As of Thursday, the fire had grown to over 9,700 hectares and was quickly surrounding the remote island community. 

Judith Moore said on Facebook she was evacuated from her home at 3 a.m.

Additional restrictions announced as wildfire threat grows in Manitoba

More restrictions come into effect today as wildfires continue to burn out of control in Manitoba.

Beginning at 8 am, Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) is implementing Level 3 fire and travel restrictions for the entire province within burn permit areas 1-22. That means all of northern Manitoba is under these restrictions, as well as everything east of Provincial Road 302 in southern Manitoba. 

This means:

Manitoba declares provincial state of emergency as 17,000 flee fires in north

Manitoba has declared a provincial state of emergency as dozens of wildfires continue to burn across the province, threatening communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.

An emergency alert issued Tuesday warns of rapidly spreading fires and extreme fire conditions, particularly in northern and eastern Manitoba, where several communities have already been evacuated or placed under evacuation alerts.

City of Flin Flon issues emergency evacuation order as wildfire advances

A rapidly growing wildfire near the Saskatchewan border in Northern Manitoba has prompted a mandatory evacuation order for the entire community of Flin Flon.

The wildfire, identified as Fire WE024, was first detected on Monday near the community of Creighton, Sask., and has since ballooned in size. As of Wednesday afternoon, the estimated area is 20,000 hectares and is now threatening the community.

Manitobans urged to be fire smart; water bombers grounded due to illegal drone flying

Manitobans are urged to be fire smart as wildfires continue to burn out of control in our province.

Kristin Hayward is Assistant Deputy Minister, responsible for the Wildfire Service. She says as of late Tuesday, there were 18 active wildfires in our province. The total number of fires so far this year in Manitoba is 96. By comparison, the 20-year average for fires by May 27th is 77.

"So, we are well above average," she remarks.

Portage teacher from Flin Flon watching fire situation with family on evacuation alert

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.

Firefighter severely injured battling wildfire says province in update

The Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) says a firefighter has been severely injured while battling a wildfire in eastern Manitoba.

It says they were injured on Sunday, and have been hospitalized—noting this highlights the danger of the current fire situation.

On Tuesday, the province issued a wildfire update, saying there were large pockets of very high to extreme fire danger throughout the province.

Residents across the Prairies flee, others on edge due to wildfire threats

From Alberta to Manitoba, residents across the Prairies are out of their homes, while others remain on edge as wildfires inch closer to their communities.

The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan has imposed an evacuation order for more than 1,800 residents of Pelican Narrows, 412 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

They are to flee to PAGC Urban Services, also known as the Margo Fournier Centre, in Prince Albert.