Manitoba Battles Unprecedented Wildfires Amid Second State of Emergency

Manitoba Declares Second Provincewide Emergency as Wildfires Escalate

For the second time this year, Manitoba has declared a provincewide state of emergency in response to a surge in wildfires threatening northern communities. The declaration, effective as of Thursday, comes after more than one million hectares have burned—ten times the province’s 20-year average.

The crisis has forced the evacuation of approximately 12,600 residents, with communities like Garden Hill Anisininew Nation and Snow Lake issuing mandatory evacuation orders. The Canadian Armed Forces deployed a Hercules transport plane to assist in evacuating Garden Hill, a remote fly-in community located 475 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

To accommodate evacuees, the province is utilizing Winnipeg’s RBC Convention Centre, emergency shelters, and local arenas. However, concerns have been raised about the suitability of congregate shelters for elders and those with medical needs. Premier Wab Kinew assured that hotel rooms will be prioritized for vulnerable individuals.

“This is a wildfire season that’s setting records in all the wrong ways,” Kinew said, urging Manitobans to support those displaced by the fires. Officials noted that lightning strikes have fueled the resurgence of fires, with 105 active wildfires currently burning across the province.

As Manitoba braces for continued challenges, the government is coordinating with other provinces and international partners, including firefighters from Mexico, New Zealand, and Minnesota, to combat the blazes.