Residents given minutes to leave in face of advancing flames Whiteshell, Nopiming evacuees grabbed belongings they could before harrowing drive By: Scott Billeck Posted: 4:35 PM CDT Thursday, May. 15, 2025

Andy and Debbie Dueck were settling in to watch the Jets-Stars playoff game Tuesday night at their Pointe du Bois cottage in Whiteshell Provincial Park when a knock at the door interrupted their plans.

“All of a sudden, there was a truck in our driveway and a conservation officer at our door,” Andy said Thursday.

The officer’s message was direct: a fast-moving wildfire burning near Bird River, about 15 kilometres north of their cottage, was threatening the area. The couple needed to evacuate the cottage they’ve owned for 15 years.

“And we had 20 minutes to do so,” Andy said. “We just grabbed everything we could, got in the car and away we went.”

The couple followed the only road in and out of the area — Highway 313. They soon realized why the situation had become so dire.

“Our situation was precarious,” Andy said, adding he and his wife have been getting updates from evacuated neighbours who have cameras providing live feeds on their properties. “We had a fire to the east of us, one to the north, and then one to the west. It’s been crazy.”

Photos shared by the Duecks captured thick smoke from the nearby Lac du Bonnet fire, which flanked them as they made their way out.

Despite the chaos, Debbie praised the emergency response teams.

“One thing I will say: there were five or six different conservation trucks in our area, driving into driveways, getting out and knocking on doors,” Debbie said. “They did a phenomenal job. They did everything to make sure we were out of there.”

Further north in Nopiming Provincial Park, Angie Sabourin faced a similar experience.

On Monday, park officials warned residents they’d need to head north on Highway 314 toward Bissett to escape, as fires had already engulfed both sides of Highway 315. The other option was to shelter in place.

“They did a phenomenal job. They did everything to make sure we were out of there.”–Debbie Dueck

“On Tuesday morning, we got another notice around 10 a.m. that everyone meet at Nopiming Lodge for an escort out of the area at 11 a.m.,” Sabourin said.

Her family has had a cottage at Bird Lake since the late 1950s, and after retiring three years ago, Sabourin became a permanent resident in the area.

Tuesday was tough to take, but there wasn’t much time for emotions, she said.

“It’s hard to describe because I’m the president for Bird Lake Cottagers Manitoba, so I had to send out a notice to everybody and then I had less than 15 minutes to grab whatever I needed and my dog, and get down to the store to meet RCMP and Parks officials. I didn’t even have time to hook my boat up. I hope it survives.”

Conditions during the escape were terrifying, as she was barely able to see the vehicles in front of her.

“There were about 70 vehicles. It was hot. It was so windy. It felt like you were in an air fryer.”

It’s been a waiting game since then for those stuck in limbo, hoping for rain and the winds to die down.

That’s all anyone can do, said Ken Pickering, president of the Whiteshell Cottagers Association.

“It’s too early to know what’s going to happen,” he said. “I think it’s a good move… the right move (to close the park and evacuate cottagers). It’s an ever-changing thing and really hard to predict.”

The threat to the Whiteshell is a blaze that’s scorched nearly 29,000 hectares just east of the Ontario border, provincial officials said at a Thursday morning news conference at the Manitoba legislature.

The Kenora 20 wildfire, which sparked in Ingolf, Ont., has spread 43 kilometres north since Monday afternoon.

With around 3,500 cottages in the Whiteshell — more than half of Manitoba’s total — the threat is widespread.

“It’s a stressful time, because I know a lot of cottagers value our time up there, summers are short,” Pickering said. “It’s going to impact many people, and it’s going to take a long time to get back to where things are at today, to rebuild.”

He also expressed concern for elderly cottagers who might have trouble evacuating quickly.

“We heard about the Lac du Bonnet fatalities, and that was very sad to hear, and you start to worry about those things here.”

“It’s going to impact many people, and it’s going to take a long time to get back to where things are at today, to rebuild.”–Ken Pickering

West Hawk Lake permanent resident Blair Mahaffy and family members were busy packing up belongings before the deadline to leave the park. They are staying in Winnipeg with their four cats until it is safe to return home.

“We’re sort of feeling a little numb. We’re rattled, worried,” he said.

Mahaffy said the fire, about four kilometres from his home, posed a greater threat to other parts of the park.

He and his partner have two horses at stables at Falcon Beach Ranch. They were waiting to find out if and when the horses had to be moved out. “We’re prepared to get in and help,” he said. He thanked firefighters, water bomber and helicopter pilots, and others who are battling fires in Manitoba.

Local businesses, too, were dealing with the significant disruption just ahead of the May long weekend.

Kevin Henwood, co-owner of West Hawk Marine in West Hawk Lake, spent Thursday morning informing 20 of his customers they can’t have their boats in the water.

“It’s difficult,” he said. “This is my busiest time of the year.”

With West Hawk Lake 15 kilometres from Ingolf, Henwood is bracing for the worst.

“I got a plan if it starts going east and the wind starts picking up, I’m going to get as much of my (equipment) out of here and onto a private property so I can save some stuff,” he said. “But that’s it.”

— with files from Chris Kitching

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca