Flin Flon residents have been advised to pack their bags and be ready to evacuate should a wildfire in neighbouring Saskatchewan spread.
The Manitoba city, as well as the Saskatchewan communities of Creighton and Denare Beach, issued evacuation standby notices Thursday afternoon. The fire, reported in Wilson, Sask., on Wednesday, measured about 300 hectares as of late Thursday and was less than 10 km from Creighton, which is about 5 km southwest of Flin Flon.
“This morning we got a bit of rainfall, so it had some effect on (the fire),” Flin Flon mayor George Fontaine said Friday morning. “Right now, the wind is going in the opposite direction from us, which is fortunate. But I mean, all those things can turn around on a dime.”
Fontaine said the community issued a similar standby in May when Cranberry Portage residents had to evacuate because of another wildfire. No evacuation was needed in Flon Flon then.
Flin Flon residents should pack bags with medication, clothing and other essentials in case they are ordered to leave, Fontaine said.
“(Residents) should be prepared but we just tell them, you know, recognize that you could be on very short notice asked to just drive away,” said Fontaine.
Creighton mayor Bruce Fidler said the fire has gained “very little” ground since Thursday. He said there is no immediate danger to the communities under the standby, adding Creighton is “somewhat familiar” with situations like this.
The town of nearly 1,500 was under a similar alert in May when wildfires in Manitoba were not contained. Fidler, who has been mayor for 21 years, said there was another fire about a decade ago that left the highway out of town closed for a month, which remains a fear.
A water bomber has been relocated to Bakers Narrows, where Flin Flon’s airport is located, Earl Simmons, director of the Manitoba Wildfire Service said.
Additionally, a semi-trailer filled with sprinkler kits was sent to Flin Flon. The gear can be placed on roofs and decks to protect buildings if the fire moves closer.
Other Saskatchewan fires, including one near the northern community of La Ronge, have caused poor visibility meaning that province’s water bombers have been unable to fly.
There are 79 active wildfires in Saskatchewan as of Friday, according to the province’s public safety agency.
There are roughy 10 active wildfires in northern Manitoba, including two that are out of control and six that are under control, data from the Manitoba government shows.
Simmons said Manitoba is usually experiencing 200 fires by this time of year but have only had about 88 in 2024. The season is “considerably quiet” thanks to heavier rainfall, he said.
“I don’t want to speak for Saskatchewan but given the weather, there will be a really good chance for them to get a handle on that fire. I think by the end of the weekend, if everything goes well, I think the risk will be greatly reduced and the communities would breathe a sigh of relief by Monday,” Simmons said.
Simmons said to not let the rain fool Manitobans and give them a false sense of security. He said people still need to be cautious outdoors, especially in areas near Gillam, Lynn Lake, Snow Lake and Cranberry Portage where it’s drier than the rest of the province.
The wildfire service has been in communication with Flin Flon and is monitoring the situation, Simmons said, to make sure they have the resources to fight the potential fire.
jura.mcilraith@freepress.mb.ca