Raging wildfire forces 7,000 people to flee Pimicikamak Cree Nation
CBC
A major wildfire burning out of control in northern Manitoba has forced the sudden evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation.
Around 9 p.m. Wednesday, residents in the community of about 7,000 people were given three hours to pack up and get out.
The road out was jammed bumper-to-bumper in the darkness of the night as people fled, directed to hotels in the northern towns of The Pas and Thompson as well as southward in Brandon and Winnipeg, 515 kilometres away.
Chief David Monias said the fire has been burning south of Cross Lake, where the community is located, since last week.
Crews from several First Nations in the area have been battling it, but strong winds on Wednesday pushed flames closer.
"It jumped over the river and now it's heading towards our community" and the bridge on the only road out, Monias said.
As he and the band council met last evening to declare a state of emergency, "the incident commander, the ones that are looking after the fire, came in and said 'OK, you guys have to evacuate,'" Monias said.
The last report on the Manitoba government's website showed the fire as just under 1,300 hectares in size.
Many people have left, but there are still about 300-400 people in the community, and school buses are lined up to get them out, Monias said.
The Red Cross is helping but could only secure 200 hotel rooms, he said, and he felt let down by the organization.
"All night long we were working, trying to find accommodations," Monias said about his efforts and those of council members.
"A lot of people were given gas to leave, but where are they going to go?"
Several posts on Facebook urge people in The Pas and other nearby communities to open space in their homes if they can.
Red Cross spokesperson Jason Small said the organization was called on just before midnight and also worked through the night to find accommodations in different communities.