Pukatawagan loses power, shuts down airport amid evacuations as northern Manitoba wildfires grow

Arturo Chang · CBC News

· Posted: May 29, 2025 10:30 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

A Manitoba First Nation has declared a authorities of exigency and different has closed its airdrome mid-evacuation arsenic wildfires proceed to ravage communities successful the province's north.

Thousands of residents were stranded in Pukatawagan, also known arsenic Mathias Colomb, after the adjacent occurrence unopen down its airport at astir 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday, the First Nation's chief said.

The airdrome closed arsenic winds pushed fume westward toward the airfield, Chief Gordie Bear said successful a telephone telephone with CBC News Thursday.

Bear said astir 2,000 radical stay successful Pukatawagan, which is astir 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. It's among the bluish Manitoba communities under an evacuation bid since Wednesday, erstwhile the Manitoba authorities declared a provincewide authorities of emergency due to the fact that of wildfires crossed the region.

"I perceive … there's choppers now, that fume has engulfed the airport," Bear said. He was connected his mode to The Pas from Winnipeg to conscionable evacuees who precocious arrived there.

"We're getting hopeless now. It's getting rougher. We're going to beryllium heading for the water … soon if thing turns out, if thing puts the occurrence out."

The occurrence adjacent the assemblage was astir 9,800 hectares successful size and was retired of power arsenic of Manitoba's latest update Thursday afternoon. The province's wildfire map showed the blaze conscionable implicit a kilometre distant from the airdrome arsenic of Wednesday.

Venessa Hart was inactive successful Pukatawagan Thursday evening. She said the airdrome and surrounding areas were evacuated successful lawsuit the occurrence spreads that way.

"The planes are not going to beryllium capable to onshore successful this heavy smoke," she said, adding that the occurrence is besides not excessively acold from the assemblage itself.

"How they're going to get america retired now?" Hart said.

"I'm scared. I'm truly scared. My anxiousness is done the roof. There's inactive implicit 2,000 assemblage members here, similar particularly women and children and babies, elders."

Bear said astir 200 residents were evacuated from the assemblage earlier the closure Thursday arsenic of the latest headcount.

Rashelle Colomb landed successful Brandon Thursday evening. She said her spouse is simply a aesculapian van operator and volition apt beryllium 1 of the past Pukatawagan residents to leave.

"As we were flying over, you could conscionable spot the flames and however adjacent it's getting to the airport," Colomb said.

"My daughter, erstwhile [she saw] the flames, she started crying, asking for her dad.… Hopefully everybody makes it retired of determination connected time."

State of exigency declared successful Tataskweyak

Meanwhile, Tataskweyak Cree Nation, much than 300 kilometres eastbound of Pukatawagan, said successful a Facebook station astatine 6:20 p.m. CT it was declaring a authorities of emergency, with a occurrence lone 1 kilometre distant from the community, aft it mislaid powerfulness conscionable earlier 5:30 p.m.

The First Nation said successful a Facebook post that powerfulness restoration whitethorn instrumentality a mates of days. Evacuation orders person been issued for children nether the property of one, elders and wellness patients, the station said.

Chief Doreen Spence said the occurrence was astir 200 hectares arsenic of aboriginal Thursday evening. She said astir 200 radical retired of astir 2,400 residents had been evacuated from the community.

A agelong of Provincial Road 280 going from adjacent Thompson to Gillam has been closed due to the fact that of the occurrence successful the area. Spence said the closure means immoderate residents who were successful Thompson for aesculapian appointments oregon different reasons person besides been barred from returning home.

"I don't cognize what's going to hap the adjacent while," she said. "We evidently request further candles, flashlights. We request generators due to the fact that a batch of radical are disquieted astir their nutrient spoiling."

Jenpeg evacuation won't impact customers: Hydro

Manitoba Hydro said Thursday day it's besides monitoring conditions astatine the Jenpeg generating station, which is astir 2 kilometres southbound of the wildfire that has forced the evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, besides known arsenic Cross Lake.

That fire was astir 3,920 hectares arsenic of the latest occurrence bulletin.

WATCH l Aerial presumption of Pimicikamak fire:

The inferior said Jenpeg was nether attraction and not generating electricity, truthful the wildfires and the evacuation of Hydro employees won't interaction customers. 

Hydro said determination are were different outages. apt fire-related, in Lynn Lake and Sherridon, with occurrence and fume conditions preventing crews from assessing the damage. Both communities are besides nether evacuation orders.

Manitoba imposing question restrictions

Meanwhile, the Manitoba authorities is imposing question restrictions crossed the province, saying successful its latest occurrence bulletin quality enactment continues to "significantly contribute" to the wildfires.

Hiking trails and h2o routes successful each of the province's 22 pain licence areas will beryllium closed arsenic of 8 a.m. Friday.

Watercraft volition beryllium restricted to landing and launching astatine developed shorelines only, and camping volition besides beryllium restricted to developed campgrounds. 

All pain permits are cancelled, though burning exceptions for manufacture and cultivation purposes whitethorn beryllium made with inspection from an officer. Conservation officers are besides capable to contented question permits for non-designated oregon unrecognized roadworthy question if it's required for concern operations, based connected occurrence hazard conditions.

Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anyplace successful Manitoba oregon email 211mb@findhelp.ca.