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Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says thousands more evacuees are expected and the city of Flin Flon is virtually deserted as wildfires continue to rage in his province.

Kinew told a Friday news conference that the mayor, councillors, health-care staff, and other officials have had to depart Flin Flon.

"The only folks remaining on the ground are firefighters and folks in the office of the fire commissioner and RCMP, who are there to battle the blaze," Kinew said.

"We do expect some very, very challenging conditions in Flin Flon and in the surrounding community."

Motorists will need to plan an alternate route instead of the Louise Bridge as the closure has been extended again, lasting much longer than anticipated. 

"The Louise Bridge closure has been extended to the end of July due to unanticipated repairs," The City of Winnipeg said on X. 

The bridge will be open to pedestrians & cyclists, with occasional closures possible. 

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.

When you walk into the Urban Shaman Gallery in the Exchange District in the next couple of weeks, you’ll be greeted by a wide array of pieces made from an even wider range of materials. Each of these materials has significance for its healing properties in the communities of the Metis artists who contributed to the gallery’s latest exhibit, aptly titled I’ll Share My Medicines.  

With wildfires popping up daily in Manitoba, the province has decided to implement new restrictions related to the fire ban. 

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, the Manitoba Wildfire Service has implemented Level 3 fire and travel restrictions for the entire province. 

This means:

Two youths are in custody after breaking into a vehicle and two stores at CF Polo Park and spraying security guards with bear spray. 

Winnipeg police say the incident happened on Sunday at around 9 a.m.

A music education crisis is unfolding in Saskatchewan, as the Regina Public School Division moves forward with drastic cuts to its elementary band program — a nationally recognized initiative that has enriched the lives of thousands of students for decades. These cuts, driven by years of provincial underfunding, threaten not only the future of music in schools, but the quality and equity of education itself.

As wildfires continue to burn out of control in northern Manitoba, animals are being left behind or brought to safety and displaced with nothing. 

To help comfort families and their furry friends, the City of Winnipeg Animal Services has opened up their facilities as a drop-off spot for animal food donations. 

As thousands of wildfire evacuees arrive in Winnipeg, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the First Nations Family Advocate Office have teamed up to collect much-needed items for families. 

To do this, they have organized a donation drive. 

"We are collecting new or gently used, clean items to help provide comfort and basic necessities to families who have been displaced and are facing uncertainty during this difficult time," said the First Nations Family Advocate Office. "Many have left their homes with just the clothes on their backs."