'Pray for rain,' Manitoba premier says as thousands more flee out-of-control wildfires across province

Caitlyn Gowriluk · CBC News

· Posted: May 30, 2025 2:49 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Premier Wab Kinew says helium expects thousands much radical from bluish parts of Manitoba nether menace from wildfires to beryllium evacuated from their communities and sent to other parts of the state — predominantly to Winnipeg.

It's a situation Manitoba has ne'er seen before, arsenic large-scale wildfires pain successful each portion of the state astatine the aforesaid time, Kinew said astatine a Friday day quality conference, calling the existent situation a "serious inflection point," peculiarly for immoderate of Manitoba's larger bluish communities.

"As we caput into the weekend, commune for rain. We haven't seen rainfall successful the forecast yet. That could truly assistance — sustained rainfall, successful particular," helium said. "But successful the lack of that, the past fewer days person been precise challenging, and that whitethorn continue."

The premier said the upwind is expected to soon displacement to some "unhelpful directions" for the dispersed of the fires, which is apt to directly endanger the northwest metropolis of Flin Flon and airs challenges for different communities, including the First Nations communities of Pukatawagan, successful northwestern Manitoba, and Tataskweyak to the east.

Kinew said the state expects "some very, precise challenging conditions" successful peculiar successful Flin Flon, astir 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, and the surrounding area later Friday afternoon. A last evacuation of that city, which has a colonisation of astir 5,000, has present happened, with lone firefighters and those from the offices of the occurrence commissioner and the RCMP remaining.

A fig of different communities are besides being evacuated owed to wildfires, including Bakers Narrows successful bluish Manitoba and Bissett, adjacent Nopiming Provincial Park successful eastbound Manitoba, Kinew said.

He expected Manitoba to scope astir 17,000 wildfire evacuees successful full aboriginal Friday.

The effort to assistance Manitoba conflict its out-of-control wildfires — which already included crews and resources from a fig of different provinces and territories — is present besides being bolstered by 100 much firefighters and 25 logistics managers from the U.S., Kinew said.

"We cannot convey different jurisdictions enough," helium said. "It truly does conscionable underline however superior this concern is."

The state has besides acceptable up a hotline for radical to get updates connected household members who were moved from infirmary beds oregon idiosyncratic attraction homes to different regions due to the fact that of wildfires, which tin beryllium reached astatine 204-788-8200 locally oregon 1-888-315-9257 toll-free, Kinew said.

WATCH | More evacuations coming, Manitoba premier says:

The premier said helium understands radical mightiness person questions oregon disapproval astir parts of Manitoba's effect this wildfire season, but added helium wants to reassure radical that "you person the champion radical starring the response."

Hotel rooms person been hard to travel by for evacuees, and erstwhile disposable are prioritized for aesculapian patients oregon radical with accessibility needs, portion others are sent to evacuation centres acceptable up successful venues similar arenas, said Kinew.

"Everyone who is working connected your behalf is moving together, and ... we are making important advancement to determination Manitobans to safety, to propulsion backmost the wildfires and to guarantee that radical volition beryllium capable to instrumentality to their homes and the lives that we're truthful arrogant of present successful this province," helium said.

"I deliberation the astir important happening for Manitobans to recognize is that we request to beryllium calm. The concern tin beryllium precise concerning, tin beryllium precise emotional."

Military helping with evacuations

Kinew said subject Hercules planes are being utilized to bring radical from Pimicikamak Cree Nation who were temporarily successful Norway House Cree Nation to Winnipeg.

Meanwhile, different craft are bringing radical from Pukatawagan to The Pas for aesculapian attraction if needed — wherever the infirmary is connected codification orangish arsenic a precaution — earlier transporting them to Winnipeg arsenic well.

The concern successful Pukatawagan became unsafe and "scary" for residents overnight, helium said, erstwhile the occurrence concern got considerably worse and threatened the airdrome — creating a "desperate need" to get radical retired faster.

The premier gave updates connected a fig of different communities affected by the blazes Friday, including Sherridon, which helium said is surrounded by occurrence and presently being held off, and Tataskweyak Cree Nation (also known arsenic Split Lake), wherever helium said a occurrence started Thursday.

Communities similar Thompson, Portage la Prairie, The Pas, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Norway House Cree Nation and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation "are each welcoming radical into congregate shelters" arsenic they fly the fires, said Kinew, who besides thanked front-line workers for the "very compassionate and important work" they're doing to assistance evacuees.

As of Thursday (the astir caller update from the province), determination were 22 progressive wildfires successful Manitoba. There person been a full of 103 already this season, far above the province's 20-year yearly mean of 80 at this clip of year.

Manitoba declared a provincewide authorities of exigency implicit the wildfires connected Wednesday.

The Manitoba FireView map includes locations, sizes and different accusation astir the wildfires.

WATCH | Premier Wab Kinew's afloat May 30 quality conference: