Manitoba to close wildfire evacuation centres as some communities return home

Some wildfire evacuees staying at a shelter in northern Manitoba may be moved elsewhere as more communities return home and the government closes temporary evacuation centres.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor said roughly 114 people have been staying at the shelter in Thompson for the past three weeks due to a shortage of hotel spaces.

"Folks have been there a really long time, and that was never the intention," Naylor told a wildfire briefing Thursday.

"We have worked really hard, but because we can't find rooms in the area, we are looking at moving people to a different location in Manitoba, and that's going to be sorted out over the next probably 24 to 48 hours."

As more communities return home, the province is looking to decommission congregate shelters that were set up to accommodate the more than 22,000 people displaced during the latest set of wildfires.

While most shelters in Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie will close as space has opened up in hotel rooms, the shelter at the Leila Soccer Complex is to stay open in the event of future evacuations.

Manitoba has 21 active wildfires, one-third of them out-of-control.

Fourteen communities remain evacuated, including the city of Flin Flon, home to 5,000 people.

Officials said there are many considerations when determining whether a community is safe to return, such as the presence of medical staff and law enforcement, working hydro and cleaned schools.

Kristin Hayward, with the province's wildfire service, said crews have made steady progress on the 3,700-square-kilometre blaze near Flin Flon, but weather continues to hinder efforts.

Long-term forecasts suggest the province is expected to see prolonged periods of warmer-than-average temperatures, with a potential for lower-than-normal precipitation.

Manitoba also is heading into a season that typically sees a lot of thunderstorms and lightning.

"Things could get worse from here. I won't sugarcoat it, but hopefully they don't," said Hayward.

Further west in Saskatchewan, more than 10,000 people were forced out of their homes in recent weeks due to wildfires, but many have since been allowed to return.

The town of Creighton near the Manitoba boundary said on social media officials are working to restore businesses before its roughly 1,200 residents are allowed to go back.

In nearby Denare Beach, where 218 primary residences burned down, the village said on social media it's looking to find available lodgings for those who lost their homes.

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency reported 18 active wildfires, including four deemed out of control.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Deal