Manitoba premier says more financial support available for wildfire evacuees

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This article was published 19/05/2024 (528 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government says emergency financial support will be available for residents of Cranberry Portage and surrounding communities who have been forced from their homes by a nearby wildfire.

The assistance is available to those under mandatory evacuation due to wildfires for seven days or more.

Eligible adults will receive $200 and eligible children will receive $100.

Premier Wab Kinew says the one-time payment will “help make sure families don’t have to worry about getting groceries or paying the bills at this challenging time.”

The support is in addition to that offered by Emergency Social Services when evacuations extend beyond three days, including covering direct costs for accommodations and helping with meal and transportation costs.

The province says the supplement will be issued to individuals and families who registered with an ESS reception centre and who meet the eligibility criteria.

About 675 people from in and around Cranberry Portage who were forced out last weekend were cleared to return home on Sunday.

Officials said the fire near Flin Flon was about 370 square kilometres in size on Friday, but the fireline closest to Cranberry Portage was under control.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2024.