Some Whiteshell residents permitted to return after wildfire evacuation

Carol Galka felt an overwhelming sense of relief Sunday morning when she learned she could return to her Pointe du Bois home, nearly two weeks after she fled an out-of-control wildfire.

The small community, located about 120 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg in Whiteshell Provincial Park, was involved in mass evacuation orders imposed as wildfires raged nearby. Mandatory orders meant everyone had to leave by May 15.

As of 9 a.m., permanent residents, cottagers, commercial operators and daytime visitors were allowed to return to Pointe du Bois, including provincial road 313, the provincial government announced.

“We’re on a high right now. We are happy to get the call this morning from the government to say we could go back,” Galka said, speaking by phone shortly after the news broke.

“I’m pretty sure everybody is feeling the same way. We are elated. We are absolutely elated.”

The Whiteshell remained closed Sunday, but Pointe du Bois joined a handful of areas where people were permitted to return as part of a phased reopening previously announced by the province.

The region was under a local state of emergency, and returning residents were expected to have an emergency kit prepared in case they need to evacuate again, the province said in a news release.

“The province advises there remains a significant wildfire threat in eastern Manitoba and all returning residents must be prepared to evacuate with little notice,” it said. “Weather forecasts are not favourable, with warm, dry conditions and no rain in the week ahead.”

Fires in the Whiteshell, and in nearby Nopiming Provincial Park, are still considered active, the province said.

Galka has owned property in Pointe du Bois for 15 years and is a permanent resident in the community. She was preparing to leave Winnipeg at about noon to return to her home for the first time since the evacuation began.

Galka said her friends and neighbours remained in close contact during the evacuation. Some in the group had installed cameras outside their properties, allowing them to share updates on smoke and fire conditions.

Still, Galka and her peers were wracked with uncertainty, knowing fire conditions could change at a moment’s notice.

The total number of properties in eastern Manitoba that have been destroyed or damaged by smoke and flames is unknown. In Lac du Bonnet, two people were killed by fire. Officials have said at least 28 homes burned in that community.

More were engulfed in Nopiming, including some near Beresford Lake.

“We wanted to thank everybody who gave us good wishes and were wishing that everybody would return… We certainly have a lot of sympathy for the people who lost their lives, people who lost their cottages and all the natural beauty around them,” Galka said.

She also thanked the hundreds of firefighters, pilots, RCMP and Manitoba Conservation officers, civic staff members and officials who have supported evacuees: “Everybody who made this day possible for all of us who are going back today.”

Andy Dueck, a seasonal resident who has also owned a cottage in Pointe du Bois for 15 years, said he was waiting for the smoke to clear before returning to the Whiteshell.

“The air quality is really bad out there today, so we are going to head out tomorrow,” he said Sunday. “One day is not going to make a difference for us now at this point, but all of our neighbours — everyone — are headed out.”

Dueck said he did not believe any properties in the Pointe du Bois area were damaged. He expressed frustration about conflicting reports and inconsistent updates about the size and locations of wildfires.

“We just relied on everyone on Facebook, but you have to read between the lines… it’s all hearsay. It’s almost grassroots,” Dueck said.

The province operates an online map showing the size and location of wildfires, but updates can be delayed. The government held some news conferences during the early days of the emergency, and has provided information via news releases every day or two.

Several communities used social media to provide information on the fires, with some posting updates multiple times each day.

“There’s been nothing like that… from the province. There’s no central hub,” Dueck said.

He also raised concern over a provincial decision to offer free admission to provincial parks in 2025.

“Our fear is that the parks are underfunded as it is, now you’re going through an entire year of not even charging people to go. Where is the money going to come from to maintain the parks?”

Camping and backcountry travel in the Whiteshell is still on hold, including seasonal and nightly campsites and hiking trails. Campground reservations won’t be accepted until May 29 or later, if the closures are extended past that date, the province said in the release.

The closures will limit traffic and reduce the number of overnight guests in the park, in case of additional evacuations. They are also necessary because the staff who operate campgrounds are currently supporting fire response efforts, the province said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca