Kristine Hannah, a cabin owner in Poplar Bay Provincial Park, is keeping a close eye on wildfire activity in eastern Manitoba.
The Portage la Prairie resident and her family were at their property over the weekend.
The evacuation order for the area has since been lifted, but caution remains high.
“The evacuation order lifted from the Provincial Road 313 up until just past Poplar Bay Provincial Park on 315,” notes Hannah. “Our [cabin] is in Poplar Bay Provincial Park, and so the roadblock there is just past the park.”
Poplar Bay Provincial Park is approximately 30 kilometres northeast of Lac du Bonnet.
Smoke and helicopters still a daily sight
Although the order is lifted, reminders of the threat are still present.
“We are seeing smoke and haze earlier in the mornings, five, six o’clock in the morning,” adds Hannah. “We’ve had light ash on our decks at the lake as well from those forest fires.”
She mentions that, as of the previous day, the Bird River fire is being held about eight to nine kilometres away from their cabin.
“It started about approximately 10 kilometres, I believe, and so it’s creeped a little bit towards us,” continues Hannah.
Bird River access remains restricted
While some seasonal residents are back at their properties, others nearby remain under tight restrictions.
“People can’t go into the Bird River yet,” Hannah remarks. “Permanent residents… are being allowed 10 to 15 minutes and they can book a scheduled appointment to go to their property to see it and collect any items.”
She notes they are only permitted to take essential items, no boats or large equipment.
Cautious return to the lake
There are only 33 cabins in Poplar Bay, and Hannah says a few neighbours have returned.
“There’s just a few people who came to the campground this weekend is what my understanding is,” she says. “We could hear people across the bay from us... it was nice to hear, children and people laughing.”
Still, she admits the calm is tempered by the sound of water bombers and helicopters overhead.
“There is the real threat there that people are trying to live as much as normal life as possible,” adds Hannah. “Our son Slater, of course, his love for fishing didn’t stop him. He was out in the bay and caught eight fish this weekend.”
Hoping for rain as heat looms
While Hannah hasn’t personally spoken to everyone in the area, the messages she’s received show people are holding onto optimism.
“There’s hope there and that’s what we’re trying to focus on,” she says.
She hasn’t heard of any structural losses in the area so far.
“The RM of Alexander… has had no structural property losses that I’ve heard of,” remarks Hannah.
Her family hopes to return again soon, but they’re staying cautious.
“You do have to limit your outdoor activity,” she continues. “If you have respiratory issues or anything or you’re just feeling a little bit dizzy… but so far we’ve been fine.”
Ash, haze and a heavy campfire smell
As for the clean-up, Hannah describes the ash as manageable.
“Just a little bit to sweep away… it wasn’t an overabundance,” she notes. “But it’s more the smoke on the waterfront.”
She explains how the wind plays a big role in how thick the haze gets throughout the day.
“It felt like I was around the campfire for a number of days, the smell of it,” adds Hannah.
Fundraiser for fire-affected wildlife gains traction
Amid the ongoing fire threat, Hannah highlights a fundraiser that’s gained momentum.
“There’s a fundraiser happening right now for the wildlife... and it’s called Wild Ones Manitoba,” she explains. “It’s a fundraising project that has been put together by two best friends that just had to do something.”
The campaign is raising money for Black Bear Rescue Manitoba, Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, and Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.
“It’s apparently getting a lot of attention as well across Canada and the USA,” continues Hannah. “Proceeds from the sales of the merchandise are being donated to those wildlife rescues.”
Gratitude for emergency crews remains strong
Despite the uncertainty, Hannah praises the response efforts she’s seen from firefighters, air crews and local officials.
“Everyone in the area… continues to express our extreme gratitude for everything the emergency personnel are doing,” she says.
“And we simply continue to feel for them and pray for them... we just hope that our place of solace is still there.”