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.
"It was requested from the Office of the Fire Commissioner to look for equipment and members for structural protection," explained ARES Chief and Pembina Triangle Mutual Aid District lead Greg Zimmerman. "The job everybody will be doing is going up to Cross Lake, setting up within the town, and their job is to catch all the flying embers and everything that's coming into town, and the spot fires they create. They have to run around and put them out to keep the town from burning down."
Zimmerman's department has sent five members and its compressed air foam truck.
"Absolutely," he stressed when asked whether his members are generally willing to sign up. "You know, it's tough for our departments to send people, because people have normal jobs outside of the fire department, so they have to take time off from work. But we always always seem to catch a lot of members that are willing to go."
Winkler Fire Department sends personnel and equipment
That sentiment was shared by Winkler Fire Department Deputy Chief Garry Reimer, who noted they have sent six firefighters along with a tanker, pumper and half-ton with a skid unit.
"Through our Mutual Aid district they have equipment and manpower available, we give them a list and then they choose which ones come, so we were selected to come," explained Reimer. "They need our equipment, so we have six guys out there at the present time with a tanker, a pumper and a half ton with a skid unit on there. We're going to be there, probably, five days at least and then we'll switch off with a fresh team."
More than 18,000 Manitobans have been forced to flee their homes due to approaching wildfires, with the largest community evacuated to date being Flin Flon.
Possibly a busy wildfire season ahead, but firefighters ready to help
"I think there's a general expectation in the fire service this has the potential to be a very busy and active wildfire year," noted Zimmerman. "You look at the the weather forecast, and they're predicting a big heat dome for Southern Manitoba, so we will see what happens. We're ready to assist wherever we can and however we can. We're very fortunate with that. "
Reimer echoed that thought.
"We're just always ready to help the neighbours, that's the bottom line," he said. "We have some of their evacuees from Cross Lake that are in Winkler at the present time, so hopefully we can save their buildings."
- With files from Candace Derksen and Alexander Peters -