Residents living south of PR 313 in Lac du Bonnet can now return home as of 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, according to Lac du Bonnet Emergency Management. The area affected includes those residing between Urban Road and Belluk Road.
Roadblocks will remain at PR 313 at PR 433 and PR 313 at Belluk to control re-entry and prevent access north on PR 433 and east on PR 313, where mandatory evacuation orders are still in effect.
Areas still under evacuation
According to information shared on the Lac du Bonnet Emergency Management Facebook page, Wildfire Initial Attack crews are stationed in areas north of PR 313 as containment efforts continue for the Wendigo Fire #62. Aircraft will also be present to monitor potential hazards.
Residents are asked to remain patient and comply with evacuation orders that remain in place, as more re-entries are anticipated in the coming days.
Structures on Stevenson Point appear intact
The RCMP marine unit confirms that structures on Stevenson Point, located north of the Wendigo area, appear to be undamaged. However, officers noted that not all structures may be visible from the water, and further assessments will be conducted.
A small bright spot amid the wildfire response
Despite the challenges, Lac du Bonnet Emergency Management shared a positive story involving a local producer. Emergency operations personnel were able to provide situational risk information that prevented the relocation of a herd, potentially saving the lives of livestock. "The first little guy born after that interaction with our Emergency Operations group was named after our Coordinator."