Dry, windy conditions generate wildfire warnings across province

The leader of a Manitoba municipality devastated last year by a deadly wildfire is reflecting on how his community has rebuilt — and is preparing for what’s next — as dry, windy conditions spark concern from officials elsewhere.

“Although it was a year ago, it seems like it was just yesterday, really, out here,” said Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet Reeve Loren Schinkel, referring to the rapidly moving wildfire that ripped through his community on May 13, 2025.

The fire killed residents Richard and Susan Nowell, who were trapped in their home, burned at least 40 square kilometres and 28 properties and forced about 1,100 people to flee.

In the Wendigo Road area, where the Nowells were trapped and 18 structures were razed, several property owners have since rebuilt, said the reeve.

“That speaks to the resilience of our community and the region here,” said Schinkel. “But we are still mourning the loss of Susan and Richard Nowell. We are flying our flags here at half-mast in their memory… we have to remember them and continue to be vigilant.”

So far, it’s been a vastly different year in the area, with heavier snow over the winter and cooler temperatures in the spring, but if late May and June are dry, the risk for wildfires remains, he said.

“We’re better prepared, certainly, because of what we went through in 2025,” said Schinkel, adding the community — from officials to residents to businesses — and province worked hard last year to respond and attempt to hold back the fire.

He said the RM and Town of Lac du Bonnet’s emergency management team has conducted internal reviews, added additional positions and updated processes and technology for emergency notifications.

The municipality hired an out-of-province company to conduct a review of last year’s wildfire, looked to update fire department equipment and received several donated water tanks with hoses that have been strategically located.

“It’s an ongoing process of review,” said Schinkel, adding the municipality’s head of emergency management has done presentations for other communities about what was learned from the disaster.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service issued a warning late Wednesday, alerting city residents to dry conditions and high winds that are increasing the risk of brush and grass fires.

“Until it greens up or we get some significant rain, there is an increased risk for grass and wildland fires, particularly when we have high winds,” WFPS Deputy Chief Scott Wilkinson, who’s in charge of fire rescue operations and training, said in a statement.

“Almost all wildland fires are the result of human activity. We are asking residents to be cautious and take steps to prevent these fires. It’s also important for property owners near wildland areas to properly maintain their yards to reduce their risks.”

City officials are asking people to call 911 immediately if they see a blaze break out. In Winnipeg, fires in approved fire pits or with permits are banned when wind speeds or gusts are higher than 25 kilometres per hour.

Under provincial rules, open fires are prohibited from April 1 to Nov. 15, except under a burning permit or in enclosed and approved fire pits. Those restrictions can be tightened by municipalities and provincial officials to ban all fires, depending on risk.

The city has not, at this point, implemented a ban, but officials are monitoring conditions closely.

“If the fire risk increases, a fire ban would be considered,” said Erin Madden, a WFPS spokeswoman.

A number of southern and southwestern Manitoba municipalities have active fire bans in place.

Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie has said the provincial government is not predicting a repeat of 2025’s devastation this season, but it is preparing for such an event.

Provincial officials issued a warning last week, urging Manitobans to take steps to avoid starting blazes. Many wildfires in the spring are preventable, as most are inadvertently caused by human activity, said the province.

There are no wildfires currently burning, the provincial Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Department’s fire map shows.

Seven small spring wildfires have been extinguished so far.

Four were in the province’s southeast — two in Whiteshell Provincial Park, another near Whitemouth Falls and one along the Canadian National rail line southeast of Marchand.

The other three were in the northern Interlake, just east of Lake Manitoba’s Portage Bay. The largest wildfire so far this year, which was detected just north of Pineimuta Lake on May 6, burned 256 hectares of land.

All but one of the year’s fires have been confirmed to have been caused by human activity.

It’s been a slower start to the fire season than in 2025, when more than 445 fires burned in excess of 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) of land.

The fires displaced more than 33,000 Manitobans — the most on record — and affected about 60 communities, mainly in northern and eastern Manitoba. Smoke from the blazes worsened air quality in communities far removed from the fires themselves.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca