Winnipeg: An evacuation order has been issued for the Town of Leaf Rapids in northern Manitoba due to uncontrolled wildfires. Authorities have urged all 300 residents of Leaf Rapids to evacuate by Tuesday morning. As of Monday, there were 81 active wildfires burning across the province, with 16 of them deemed out of control.
About 350 people from the community, which is north of The Pas, will have to make the 10-hour drive to Winnipeg. Thompson isn’t an option for evacuees, as the northern Manitoba city is also currently under wildfire threat. The city of Thompson, with a population of thirteen thousand, has declared a local state of emergency until August 6 due to the wildfire threat. Authorities report that the fire, located approximately 15 kilometers north of Thompson, has spread to cover an area of about 60 square kilometers.
Evacuees are being asked to report to the WSF Soccer Complex on Leila Avenue in Winnipeg and to bring important items, including medications, clothing, hygiene items, money, credit cards and identification. The town will provide transportation to Winnipeg via coach bus on Tuesday morning for those without their own vehicles or are unable to make other arrangements.
Fire crews are currently battling a total of 81 wildfires in eastern and Northern Manitoba, provincial officials said, with 235 reported this season overall – almost 50 fires above the average for this time of year. The province continues to monitor the situation, but officials say there are no intentions of calling another Manitoba-wide state of emergency.
