As Manitoba prepares for next wildfire season, concerns rise around staffing vacancies – CBC

Feb 27, 2026

Anisininew Okimawin grand chief fears crews won’t be available to tackle fires in northern Manitoba

Manitoba wants to fill at least the same number of seasonal positions to battle wildfires in the province this year as in 2025, but there are concerns about filling all the jobs and making sure isolated communities have the resources they need to respond.

“It’s unfortunate, but I think we are going to see another summer of evacuations affecting most of our communities in northern Manitoba if there isn’t a proper response put in place to mitigate the effects of wildfires,” said Alex McDougall, grand chief of Anisininew Okimawin, which represents the four Island Lake First Nations in northeastern Manitoba.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/wildfires-staffing-wildland-firefighters-9.7107634