Residents forced out of Cranberry Portage after wildfires knock power, close highway, ruin air quality
CBC
Hundreds of people are being forced out of their homes in the northwestern Manitoba community of Cranberry Portage after a wildfire knocked out power overnight.
The entire population of Cranberry Portage should evacuate by 3 p.m. on Saturday and go to Winnipeg, said Lori Forbes, the municipal emergency co-ordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, which includes the community.
Cranberry Portage, about 600 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, was put under a voluntary evacuation order earlier this week after supplies and gas started to run out. Wildfires also closed down a stretch of Highway 10 — the main access route for the community.
The situation worsened after several hydro poles were burned, leaving the community without power on Friday. Forbes said the longer the electricity is out the greater the risk operations at the water treatment and sewage plants might be compromised.
"The decision is made based on general services human beings need to be healthy," she said.
Manitoba Hydro said the extent of damage to power infrastructure is unknown at this time. The R.M. of Kelsey said the community might be without electricity for several days.
At least 430 people are believed to be in Cranberry Portage, Forbes said, but the number can be as high as 600 given there's a number of cottagers and seasonal visitors this time of the year.
Before the mandatory evacuation was declared, 87 people who left from their homes had registered with the R.M., Forbes said.
Evacuees from Cranberry Portage are being asked to make their way out using Highways 39 and 6 to Winnipeg's Billy Mosienko Arena at 709 Keewatin Street.
"We need people to get up and move, to be safe and out of the dangers up here right now," Forbes said.
Peter Thibodeau had been preparing for the mandatory evacuation. His bags were packed and the water tank in his house was almost emptied out.
While the order didn't come as a surprise, Thibodeau says being forced out of Cranberry Portage is still stressful for the community.
"Not knowing is hard on a person," Thibodeau said. "It is on the back of your head.
A wildfire encroaching on the community last year devoured trees on thousands of hectares of land before forcing the evacuation of all residents.
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