‘Please don’t come out’: Manitoba mayor asking people to stay away as fires burn

Mayor Jack Brisco shares how his community is coping with the wildfire threat and what support evacuees can expect.

The mayor of a rural municipality being impacted by wildfires in Manitoba is asking people to avoid the area over the long weekend.

RM of Alexander Mayor Jack Brisco said a lot of the area is made up of seasonal cabins, and people should not be coming out to the area to check on their cabins until it is safe to do so.

“If you’re in Winnipeg and wondering what’s going on, please don’t come out. Stay where you are,” he said Friday morning.

“The less people in the area, the easier it is to fight these fires.”

Brisco said there are three major wildfires burning in the area and there are more than 100 firefighters on the ground currently.

The province and local authorities are working closely together, he said.

“Water bombers and aircraft will continue today to fight the fires; Ontario bombers will be assisting,” he said.

Firefighters are currently focused on protecting structures and is unaware of any structures damaged, Brisco said.

“It is a very large fire and it is still out of control,” he said, adding a mandatory evacuation is in place in the area.

Brisco said a lot of residents of the area would like to get back to the area and find out how their homes are doing, but the situation remains dangerous.

“We just can’t allow you back into the evacuated areas at this time,” he said. “It’s still ongoing.”

‘We’re optimistic’

A state of local emergency is still in effect in the RM of Piney, but recent rainfall in the area has changed the situation.

Reeve Wayne Anderson said the Woodridge area received 15 millimetres of rain in the past 24 hours and it has helped cool the fire significantly.

“We’re optimistic,” said Anderson. “The fire is much cooler now. It was a very hot fire, even yesterday. It’s looking much better today.”

The fire is around 8,900 hectares in size and Anderson said work is ongoing to expand the fire break and make the perimeter safe, which would allow residents to return home.

However, at this time, the fire is considered out of control and residents still have to wait.

“People are getting anxious and they are wanting to get home,” said Anderson. “It won’t be today. They will be out for one more night at least, depending on when the perimeter can be set up to be safe.”

Anderson is encouraging all evacuees to register with the RM.

Rain not enough for Bird River fire

According to an update from Jack Brisco, the RM of Alexander’s mayor, there are more than 100 firefighters in the Bird River area working to suppress the fire.

The statement notes the situation is being closely monitored, and thankfully, no structures have been destroyed.

Brisco added that the area received some ‘much-needed’ rain; however, it hasn’t had an impact on the fire at this point.

A mandatory evacuation order remains in place for the area east of Miller Road and north of PR 313, extending to Bird River and including Pinawa Bay and Sunset Bay.

As many of the Bird River evacuees are reaching the 72-hour mark, they should expect to hear from government representatives to learn about the process moving forward.

Evacuees are urged to stay alert to the RM’s website or Facebook page to learn more about when their cheques will be issued and where they can pick them up.

- With files from CTV’s Ainsley McPhail