Sprawling forest fire forces northern residents to flee

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This article was published 24/06/2010 (5874 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A raging forest fire forced a half-dozen people to flee from a northern Manitoba town Wednesday afternoon, while another remains on standby to evacuate.

Six people were moved from the community of Cormorant, about 80 kilometres northeast of The Pas, due to potential respiratory dangers from thick, billowing smoke drifting toward the community, Manitoba Conservation said.

Cranberry Portage residents are on standby to leave, while campgrounds in the Grass River Provincial Park are also under mandatory evacuation.

A sprawling, 10,000-hectare fire at Kisseynew Lake continues to burn out of control because of extremely dry conditions, low humidity and strong, gusting winds.

The province is fighting the inferno with 29 firefighting crews, 11 helicopters and eight water bombers.

Fire crews from Ontario and Minnesota are also helping.

“Winds have been pushing (the fire) one way, then back another way and then another way,” said Gary Friesen, manager of Manitoba’s forest fire program. “It has been so constant, it’s like a wall that’s up there.

“It’s definitely the worst fire right now for this year,” he said.

Rain is expected in the region on Saturday, Friesen said, but it’s unknown how much there will be.

“Spring was kind of the same across the province — dry, low humidity,” Friesen said. “But the north has stayed dry. That triangle from The Pas, north to Thompson, across to Lynn Lake has received very little rain and now it’s being compounded and dries out more. “We need rain out there,” he said.

Meanwhile, Conservation reports 15 new fires have been observed since Wednesday, though none is threatening homes or property or appears to pose any concerns at this time.

— Staff