The Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) says the province remains at a moderate to high wildfire danger level, with human activity, including arson, playing a major role in fuelling current fire conditions.
Officials say deliberately set fires are forcing crews to redirect resources that would otherwise be used to manage natural wildfire outbreaks, many of which are burning close to communities.
A provincial state of emergency remains in effect under the Emergency Measures Act and will continue until at least Aug. 8. Manitoba is now experiencing its worst wildfire season in 30 years, with more than one million hectares burned so far.
As of Monday, 122 wildfires are active across Manitoba, with 297 total fires reported to date. That figure is well above the seasonal average of 217.
One of the largest wildfires, Fire EA061 in the eastern region, remains out of control and has grown to approximately 277,860 hectares.
A closure and mandatory evacuation order remains in effect for areas of Nopiming Provincial Park, along with the entirety of Wallace Lake and South Atikaki provincial parks. PR 314 through Nopiming and PR 304 east of Bissett remain closed. The southern portion of Atikaki Provincial Park, including the Bloodvein and Gammon River corridors and Aikens Lake, is also closed.
Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister responsible for MWS, says firefighting efforts are receiving significant international support. Manitoba currently has 248 personnel assisting from outside jurisdictions, including:
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200 firefighters and five agency representatives from Mexico
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21 firefighters and four overhead personnel from Minnesota
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A seven-member incident management team from New Zealand
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An 11-person incident management team from Parks Canada
"Later today, we do expect two incident management teams to arrive from Australia, 42 firefighters and one agency rep from New Zealand," Hayward said. "We also expect to receive a water bomber group from Quebec."
Christine Stevens, assistant deputy minister for the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, says approximately 12,000 people have been displaced. Eight communities are under evacuation, but no new orders have been issued in the past 24 hours.
Stevens says Manitoba is currently managing 18 local states of emergency. More than 6,000 people are staying in over 2,100 hotel rooms across Manitoba, while another 1,300 evacuees have been placed in Ontario hotels.
"We just want to say that we do very much appreciate the support that has come in from not only in Manitoba but all over the world in order to support us in this response," Stevens said.