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Manitoba Wildfires Force Mass Evacuations and Claim Two Lives

Two large wildfires, fueled by extreme weather, remain out of control as evacuation orders expand across eastern Manitoba.

Firefighters arrive at the Flin Flon airport, as wildfires burn in northern Manitoba on May 14, 2024. About 1,000 people were to leave a popular area for cottagers as wildfires continued to burn in Manitoba. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew speaks at a press conference before signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Ontario Premier Doug Ford  at Queen’s Park in Toronto on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura Proctor
Smoke rises from a wildfire as seen off Granite Park Road in Lac Du Bonnet, Man., on May 13.
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Overview

  • Two wildfires near Lac du Bonnet and Nopiming Provincial Park are burning out of control, covering 30 and 1,000 square kilometers respectively.
  • The bodies of a man and woman were recovered near Wendigo Road after being trapped by fast-moving flames, marking the first confirmed fatalities of the fires.
  • Approximately 1,000 residents have been displaced in the Lac du Bonnet area, with significant property damage reported but still under assessment.
  • Mandatory evacuation orders and park closures have been issued for multiple provincial parks and communities as emergency declarations expand.
  • Officials attribute the unusually early and severe wildfire season to hot, dry, and windy conditions, with forecasts indicating that only prolonged rainfall could slow the fires.