Manitoba declares state of emergency as northern communities evacuate due to wildfire threat

Manitoba has declared a state of emergency due to extreme wildfire conditions and threats to thousands of people in communities across the north.

“This is a significant step we are taking to uphold our obligation to keep people safe,” Premier Wab Kinew said during a Wednesday evening news conference.

The premier said roughly 17,000 people will be evacuated in northern Manitoba, with many of them expected to arrive in Winnipeg.

Evacuees are being asked to register with the Canadian Red Cross for information on emergency assistance.

The province’s Emergency Social Services and the Canadian Red Cross opened a reception centre in Winnipeg Wednesday night. Evacuees can head to Billy Mosienko Arena at 709 Keewatin Street.

The province is asking people to shelter with friends and family before seeking this centre, if possible.

The City of Flin Flon, with an estimated population of 5,000 people, posted the evacuation notice online saying it expects residents to be out of the community by 12 midnight tonight.

The evacuations come after a fire that started in Creighton, Sask., on Monday crossed the border into Manitoba on Tuesday, threatening Flin Flon. The fire is two kilometres away from Flin Flon and is currently 20,000 hectares in size, burning out of control.

“The wildfires in northern Manitoba have intensified since we gave our update this morning,” Kinew said.

He said the province has asked Prime Minister Mark Carney for help from the Canadian Armed Forces to transport evacuees. Carney has approved the request, Kinew said.

Other communities with evacuation orders include Cross Lake, Pimicikamak Cree Nation and Mathias Colomb Cree Nation.

Flin Flon evacuees with vehicles are advised to leave through Provincial Road 10 heading towards The Pas, and Kinew has said they should head to Winnipeg. They note the highway may have some visibility issues, but it is considered safe to drive. Residents are also being told to drive as orderly as possible to avoid traffic jams or highway accidents.

Evacuees are being told not to drive through Provincial Road 39 directly to Thompson.

The city is working to arrange transportation for people without access to vehicles.

Evacuees should bring necessary supplies, medications, identification, go-bags, and provisions for pets.

Flin Flon had already been sending high-needs hospital patients away from the city due to the wildfire threat.

Kinew said under the state of emergency, the province is coordinating shelter space for evacuees, noting hotels are booked solid across Manitoba.

There are 22 active fires in Manitoba right now, and 102 wildfires in 2025 to date, according to the most recent fire bulletin.

The province is advising residents to follow all evacuation orders from local authorities and check Manitoba 511 before travelling.

Backcountry travel is not permitted.

Kinew told Manitobans directly in the wildfire zone that their fellow Manitobans will help them.

“We will get through this trying period the way that we always do, by working together,” he said.

‘We need help’: Northern Manitoba communities evacuated amid wildfire

Several First Nations communities in northern Manitoba are also evacuating.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) said around 17,000 people in northern Manitoba are trying to get to safety. Pimicikamak Cree Nation’s airport is non-operational due to the fire threat and the chief and council are working to coordinate evacuations.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said there is an ongoing coordination between First Nations and the province as they try to get all residents away from the fires.

“That communication is so important because that’s what it is going to take to ensure the people are evacuated and the people are safe and that is our utmost concern,” said Settee.

“I’m confident we will be able to do this. I’m confident we will be able to do this successfully because I know that we have so many people working with us and the people on the ground are amazing.”

He said the work that everyone is doing, from the firefighters to officials, is saving lives.

Along with being optimistic about evacuating successfully, Settee said he is optimistic that all residents will be able to return home.

Mathias Colomb Cree Nation has also evacuated, as has the community of Sherridon.

“It was a panic because most people weren’t prepared,” said Sheryl Matheson, a resident of Sherridon, which is approximately 65 kilometres northeast of Flin Flon.

She added that the town of around 85 people could potentially face a “total loss.”

Fire WE017 is approximately 40,000 hectares and located 14 kilometres away from Sherridon, according the latest fire bulletin from the province.

The fire was first reported last Wednesday at just over 400 hectares. Sherridon has since declared a state of local emergency.

Matheson, who is the president of the Northern Association of Community Councils, stated that she and other residents were evacuated to Dauphin, Man. where they were able to receive accommodations.

“It’s devastating,” she said. “Right now, it’s all up to the wind.”

“We’ve been really blessed until last night, because the wind changed yesterday evening, which around after 11 p.m. last night, the fire kind of became very, very close to the town.”

Matheson told CTV News on Wednesday afternoon that the Sherridon fire department is still in the community for protection but said that “the manpower we have isn’t enough.”

“We have had no ground support in on the fire. We’ve had no air support on the fire,” she said. “We need help.”

Matheson stated that the smoke coverage is unbreathable in some areas, impacting other residents in the area.

“Not only is it devastating to our families, but it’s devastating to our businesses,” said Matheson, who owns a fishing lodge in the community.

Matheson stated that the RCMP have closed the road to the town.

-With files from CTV’s Michelle Gerwing and The Canadian Press

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