PembinaValley

In 2023, as Canada suffered through its worst-ever wildfire season, the federal government was looking at creating a national disaster response agency.

Two years later, the country is again facing another summer of wildfires. There is still no sign of such an agency, though governments are tapping the private sector to help with evacuations.

Ali Asgary, a York University professor of disaster and emergency management, said the work to establish a national agency is "unfortunately … not going as fast as our crises are going."

Another contingent of Southern Manitoba firefighters is heading north to assist with the ongoing wildfire battle. Members from Winkler Fire Department, Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services (ARES) and Morris Fire Department were the latest to answer the call. They will be joining the frontlines battling the Cross Lake fire, and left for the community Thursday morning. Cross Lake is located north of Norway House, and is nearly 900km north of the Altona/Winkler area.

Northlands Parkway Collegiate Electrical Technology student Wes Klippenstein has won gold in Electrical Installations at the 2025 Skills Canada competition last week in Regina. The Grade 12 is enrolled in the program through the Red River Valley Technical Vocational Area (RRTVA), with his home school being Altona's W.C. Miller Collegiate.

Plans changed

Creighton's Kristina Tetreault was just heading back into town from the Pas Mb last Wednesday when she heard the mandatory wildfire evacuation message on the radio.  

Tetreault is a 35-year resident of the community that borders Flin Flon on the Saskatchewan side of the border. Her family, including her mother, son, and grandson, all live there. She works for the Bakers Narrows Provincial Park (BNPP). Instead of going directly to the BNPP head office, like she had planned, she went straight home and started packing.  

The Morden Police Service recently discovered that a situation they had responded to had more to it than the surface originally suggested.  

Inspector Sean Aune says that on May 22nd, police responded to an accident in Morden.  

“When they originally dealt with the drivers of the vehicles, obviously, one of the individuals had something to hide,” he says.  

The Altona Maroons will not be joining the Capital Region Junior Hockey League for the 2025-26 season, but all is not lot as the league will keep them in mind and could allow them to join in the near future.

Some Manitoba residents who have taken refuge in Niagara Falls, Ont., after fleeing wildfires raging in their province say they're grateful for the hospitality but worry they won't have a home to return to once the flames die down.

Kelly Ouskun says he saw so much fire and smoke along the highway on the drive from his family's home in Split Lake to Thompson, about 145 kilometres away, that he felt "nauseated" and his eyes hurt.

"It's a very serious situation." That from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew in an update on the province's wildfire situation Thursday, who says fire fighters from across Manitoba and beyond continue to blazes on several fronts. 

As of Thursday morning, Kinew said there were 16,800 evacuees registered in Manitoba. Many of which have been put up in hotels across Manitoba, occupying about 1,700 rooms. 

He added, it's been great to see people step up and provide donations, volunteer at shelters and even take evacuees into their homes. 

A 30 year old Winnipeg man has be arrested and charged in connection with a series of commercial break, enter and thefts in Carman over the past month.

Pembina Valley RCMP were able to identify a suspect after reviewing video surveillance footage. Officers, Police Dog Services and the RCMP Emergency Response Team arrested Toban Roulette at a residence in Carman. He's been charged with multiple counts of Break and Enter (4x), Mischief Under $5,000 and Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose. Roulette has been remanded into custody.

Though the City of Winkler has readied its Meridian Exhibition Centre to serve as a large-scale evacuation facility in the event that wildfire evacuees need a place to stay, the province’s focus has shifted slightly to getting evacuees inside of hotels, rather than large, shared spaces. 

A focus on dignity 

Wendy Klassen, assistant city manager for Winkler, confirmed the city's shelter remains in a holding pattern, fully prepared but currently unused.