Province easing fire and travel restrictions

Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) is easing some fire and travel restrictions beginning Thursday morning.

According to our province, recent rainfall and a full green-up have helped reduce the fire risk in some parts of Manitoba. Other areas remain at high risk, with significant fire suppression operations continuing and restrictions still in place.

Effective Thursday at 8 am, areas 1 to 5 and areas 8 to 22 will be at Level 2 (area 1 includes everything from Provincial Road 302 to the Ontario border and south of the Trans Canada Highway). This means: 

Joint effort saves 75 dogs during Cross Lake wildfire evacuation

As wildfires forced residents of Cross Lake to evacuate earlier this month, RCMP officers and animal rescue teams stepped in to ensure the community’s pets weren’t left behind.

With approval from Cross Lake Chief David Monais and Health Director Helga Hamilton, Manitoba Underdogs Rescue volunteers, with help from Cross Lake RCMP, brought vulnerable dogs to Winnipeg for care.

"These dogs would not have survived the evacuation period," Manitoba RCMP said in a post on Facebook. 

Wildfire evacuees continue returning home in Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Wildfire evacuees continued to make their way home in some Manitoba communities Tuesday, but there were hurdles.

Tataskweyak Cree Nation lifted its evacuation order Monday evening, then told the community's 2,400 residents Tuesday morning the return was being delayed due to problems with the water system.

"Water tests came back (with) high aluminum. The pipes and reservoir will need to be cleaned and samples taken after the cleaning," said a message posted on the chief and council's Facebook page.

Winnipeg School Division honours Indigenous graduates in the city and beyond

Parker Ledoux never imagined spending the last month of her Grade 12 school year cooped up in a Winnipeg hotel room far from her home.

But when an out-of-control wildfire encroached on Creighton, Sask., at the end of last month and forced its some 1,200 people to flee, that's exactly what happened.

With graduation celebrations supposed to take place next week and community members still displaced, Ledoux is not sure what the quintessential teenage experience will look like for her and her classmates.

Rain, cooler temperatures provide relief in Prairie wildfires, more evacuees go home

Rain and cooler temperatures brought relief to fire-ravaged Manitoba and Saskatchewan Monday, allowing fire bans to be reduced and more evacuees to go home.

The weather helped fire crews get an upper hand in parts of northern Manitoba to clear the way for some of the 21,000 or more evacuees to start returning home.

David Monias, chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, reposted video of heavy rainfall on social media along with video of small planes leaving Winnipeg with evacuees who were forced out almost three weeks earlier.

Officials "cautiously optimistic" by current fire status in Manitoba

Officials in Manitoba say crews are making good progress on a number of wildfires in our province. 

According to Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS), the fire at Ingolf is being held. It was first detected on May 15th, and its cause remains under investigation. To date, it has burned 5,410 hectares.

The fire at Bird River was first detected on May 12th. It was caused naturally and continues to burn out of control. It has burned 218,709 hectares. 

Hundreds of fire evacuees can return home tomorrow

Hundreds of Manitobans, displaced by wildfires, will be allowed to return home, beginning tomorrow. 

Working together with the Manitoba Wildfire Service and the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the communities of Sherridon, Herb Lake Landing, Cranberry Portage and the town of Snow Lake have lifted their mandatory evacuations effective Saturday at 8 am, signaling it is safe for the approximately 1,785 evacuees from these communities to return home. 

Association of Nigerians volunteers pack blankets for evacuees

Members of the Association of Nigerians in Portage la Prairie recently joined evacuee support efforts at CanadInns, focusing their energy on a critical behind-the-scenes task: packing blankets for those displaced by regional wildfires.

A change in task, but not in plans

Their original plans had been to help give back by serving food, but the group adapted their plans after learning sufficient staff were already on hand for food service.

Adebola Adesanya, Secretary of the association, explained the shift in duties.