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Manitoba Wildfires Threaten Flin Flon and Surrounding Communities

Fire crews from across Canada are tackling 18 active blazes that have scorched nearly 200,000 hectares this season

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Earlier this month, two residents of the small community of Lac du Bonnet died after being trapped in a major wildfire northeast of Winnipeg

Overview

  • Premier Wab Kinew has instructed Flin Flon’s 5,000 residents to pack essentials and stand by for immediate evacuation as a fast-moving fire crossed from Creighton, Saskatchewan
  • Unauthorized drones forced water bombers to ground operations, hampering aerial firefighting efforts and increasing risk to communities
  • Kristin Hayward of the Manitoba wildfire service reports 96 fires so far this season, well above the 20-year average of 77, and 18 remain active
  • Over 198,000 hectares have burned in Manitoba this year—almost triple the five-year annual average—with most blazes attributed to human activity
  • Firefighters from New Brunswick, Alberta, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island are providing interprovincial support as Bissett prepares for a potential evacuation