Fire Bulletin #25

Press Release

June 5, 2025

The Manitoba Wildfire Service Manitoba continues under a provincewide state of emergency, as the majority of the province continues under very high fire danger, with human activity continuing to significantly contribute to Manitoba’s current wildfire situation.

The Manitoba government has launched a new web portal, MB Ready. MB Ready provides timely, centralized and accurate information to help residents make informed decisions and respond quickly to changing conditions. The platform provides current information on wildfires, natural disasters, and other public safety hazards. The site will continue to evolve in the coming weeks and months, with new features and updates aimed at improving accessibility and responsiveness. For more information, visit: https://mbready.manitoba.ca.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are partnering to provide financial support for households evacuated from their community or First Nation due to the Manitoba wildfires. Funds will be distributed by the Canadian Red Cross and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak. To find out more, including how to register and the eligibility criteria, visit: https://gov.mb.ca/wildfire/index.html.

Government of Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces have completed the evacuations for Pimicikamak First Nation (Cross Lake) and Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Pukatawagan), with only leadership and emergency personnel remaining in the communities.

Manitobans are urged to carefully follow all fire and travel restrictions. Level 3 fire and travel restrictions are in place across much of the province including all provincial parks and all burn permit areas (areas 1 to 22). Backcountry travel is prohibited without a permit. To request a travel permit, email: BackcountryTravel@gov.mb.ca or call (204) 345-1489.

A full burn ban is in place. Campfires are prohibited even in approved pits. Full details on fire and travel restrictions for provincial parks and burn permit areas, along with municipal burn bans can be found at www.manitoba.ca/wildfire/#travel_restrictions.

Manitoba Parks advises that trails and water routes in all provincial parks are closed. Several provincial parks in the eastern and northern regions are closed to all park users. Check www.manitobaparks.com for details.

The Manitoba Wildfire Service continues to respond to 27 active wildfires across the province, a total of 111 wildfires to date, above the average for this date of 95 total fires. Fires of note include:

East region:

• Fire EA061, stretching from Bird River to Bissett is 203,720 hectares (ha) and remains out of control. Provincial Road (PR) 315 is closed at the Tanco Mine north of Bird River area, with no travel beyond that point to Nopiming Provincial Park and onward up to PR 314 and Bissett. A mandatory evacuation order continues for Bissett and Nopiming Provincial Park.
• Fire EA063, located on the Ontario border near Ingolf, is out of control at approximately 5,000 ha on the Manitoba side of the border and approximately 31,300 ha in Ontario. This fire originated in Ontario and is numbered there as KEN#020. An evacuation order continues for parts of Whiteshell Provincial Park.

West region:

• Fire WE017, (this fire now includes previously numbered fire WE024) located near Sherridon, is 307,781 ha and out of control. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for Sherridon, Grass River Provincial Park and Wekusko Falls Provincial Park. A voluntary evacuation order is in place for Snow Lake. A mandatory evacuation order continues for the Big Island, Schist Lake, Little Athapapaskow Cottage Area, Lake Athapapuskow, Payuk Lake, Twin Lake, White Lake (Northwest Region), Bakers Narrows and the City of Flin Flon.
• Fire WE021/26, located near Easterville, is approximately 35 ha and is under control.
• Fire WE023, located eight km from Wanless and south of Cranberry Portage, is approximately 4,900 ha and out of control. A voluntary evacuation order is in place for Wanless. A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for Cranberry Portage.
• Fire WE025, located near Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Pukatawagan), is approximately 9,800 ha and out of control. A mandatory evacuation order continues for Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Pukatawagan).
• Fire WE027, located eight km from the Town of Grand Rapids and Misipawistik Cree Nation is approximately 2,500 ha and is out of control.
• Fire WE028, located 10 km from Bakers Narrows Provincial Park, is approximately 4,700 ha and out of control. A mandatory evacuation order continues for Bakers Narrows Provincial Park.

North region:

• Fire NO002, located near the town of Lynn Lake, is approximately 71,000 ha and is out of control. A mandatory evacuation order continues for the Town of Lynn Lake and Marcel Colomb First Nation (Black Sturgeon).
• Fire NO005, located five km from Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake), the Incorporated Community of Cross Lake, Jenpeg Generating Station and Whiskey Jack Landing, is approximately 3,300 ha and out of control. A mandatory evacuation order continues for Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake) and the Incorporated Community of Cross Lake.
• Fire NO007, located two km from Wabowden, is 88 ha and is under control.
• Fire NO010, located near Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake), is approximately 21,000 ha and is out of control. A mandatory evacuation order continues for Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake).

Congregate shelters are located throughout the province. Provincial emergency social services (ESS) and the Canadian Red Cross are working with partners to ensure people evacuating from northern Manitoba can find shelter. Evacuees who do not have a place to stay are asked to proceed to the nearest reception centre:

• Billy Mosienko Arena. 709 Keewatin St., Winnipeg – open 24-7
• Victoria Inn, 3550 Victoria Ave., Brandon – open 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily
• Burntwood Hotel, 146 Selkirk Ave., Thompson – open 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily

Evacuees are encouraged to register with the Canadian Red Cross as soon as possible. Registration can be done online at www.redcross.ca/2025manitobawildfires or by calling 1-800-863-6582 (toll-free) between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. CST. If it is necessary for the Canadian Red Cross to contact evacuees, the contact information provided upon registration will be used. Providing an email address allows the Red Cross to communicate information more quickly to evacuees.

As of June 5, the Canadian Red Cross has registered approximately 18,000 people from over 7,100 households evacuated due to the wildfires in Manitoba. This includes people from over 3,300 households on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada, and over 3,600 households on behalf of the Province of Manitoba.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are matching donations made to the Canadian Red Cross 2025 Manitoba Wildfire Appeal to support those affected by the wildfires. Every $1 donated will become $3 to support the families and individuals most impacted by wildfires. Donation matching will be open for 30 days, retroactive to May 28. For more information, visit www.redcross.ca.

Donations and public support should be co-ordinated through official channels, as the evacuation centres are not set up to receive them. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has set up a collection hub for donation items at the RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave., Winnipeg. The Southern Chiefs Organization and the Manitoba Métis Federation are also co-ordinating collection drives, please visit the organizations’ websites and social media channels for more information.

Information about health supports for evacuees, including mental health resources and Indigenous wellbeing supports, is available through Shared Health at https://sharedhealthmb.ca/news/wildfire-updates/. For general health care information and for services such as refilling a prescription, or for information about a loved one who may have been relocated from their personal care home or hospital, call Health Links-Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257 (toll-free).

Evacuees in congregate shelters with health concerns can speak with onsite health care providers who can help with medical concerns, new prescriptions and renewals, as well as mental health and addictions concerns. Evacuees are encouraged to visit a health information table at the site for additional support.

In eastern Manitoba, some residents are allowed to return home but a significant wildfire threat remains. The province advises all returning residents must be prepared to evacuate with little notice and should prepare an emergency go kit. More information on emergency preparedness, including what to include in an emergency go kit, is available at www.gov.mb.ca/emo/guide/individuals.

Evacuees who need help connecting with supports while they are evacuated can contact Manitoba 211 for assistance by calling 211 from anywhere in Manitoba or emailing 211mb@findhelp.ca. For more information, visit https://mb.211.ca/get-help-now/.

Smoke and fires are impacting road conditions as well, check MB511 at www.manitoba511.ca for the latest road conditions and closures.

The Manitoba government’s provincial state of emergency, under the Emergency Measures Act, is in effect until June 26.

Many municipalities have proactively implemented burning restrictions this spring, so check with the local municipal office or view the interactive burning restrictions map at www.manitoba.ca/wildfire/burn_conditions.html for more information. No burning permits will be issued for areas within or bordering any municipality where burning restrictions are already in place. The current provincewide ban is for provincial lands and does not include federal land or municipalities. Manitoba municipalities are responsible for the implementation and maintenance of their local burning restrictions and are asked to contact the Office of the Fire Commissioner from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at firecomm@gov.mb.ca when implementing or changing the status of its municipal burning restrictions. Visit the Municipal Burning Restrictions Map at www.gov.mb.ca/wildfire/burn_conditions.html for more information.

For further information on the Manitoba Wildfire Service, situation updates, restrictions and other important wildfire links, go to www.gov.mb.ca/wildfire or follow the Manitoba government on X (formerly Twitter) at https://twitter.com/mbgov.

To report a wildfire, call 911 or the TIP line toll-free at 1-800-782-0076.

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For more information:

• Public information, contact Manitoba Government Inquiry: mgi@gov.mb.ca or 1-866-626-4862 or 204-945-3744.
• Media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.
• Media requests for ministerial comment, contact Cabinet Communications: cabcom@manitoba.ca.

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