‘Still a lot of concern’: Uneasy residents return to Cranberry Portage as wildfire rages
As Cranberry Portage residents return home after being evacuated for days, officials say residents remain uneasy for the wildfire season ahead.
“There’s still a lot of concern and worry,” said Lori Forbes, municipal emergency coordinator with the RM of Kelsey.
“It's a very traumatic, very emotional thing they went through and that's not gone just because they're home.”
Evacuees were given the green light to return home Sunday after a rainy few days in the region.
The province’s latest fire bulletin issued Tuesday said the wildfire was still burning out of control, measuring just under 37,000 hectares in size. However, the province said the fire line near Cranberry Portage was under control, and it was safe for residents to return.
More than 500 people were initially evacuated from Cranberry Portage, plus nearly 200 more from the surrounding region.
Six water bombers, seven helicopters, over 200 provincial personnel, and dozens of firefighters from across the country helped to douse the flames.
At the evacuees’ reception centre in The Pas, Forbes said many stepped up to help.
“There were people that picked up within the community fun things for the kids to do at the reception centre and helped us clear tables, move food, and helped us mop up,” she said.
“These were evacuees that were helping us do that. We wanted to look after them, and they were helping look after us.”
Forbes adds many residents are still uneasy, as the wildfire season is still so young.
It’s a reality, she says, northern Manitobans face every spring and summer.
“There's fire danger every year. We have smoke every year. We have to keep an eye on the wildfires every year. It’s a fact of life, for sure.”
Cottages, homes destroyed by wildfires: province
The province’s most recent fire bulletin has offered a glimpse of the damage from the fire near Flin Flon.
According to the bulletin issued Tuesday, eight properties in Sourdough Bay were destroyed by the fire, including five cottages, two garages and one permanent residence. Another permanent residence was destroyed in Twin Lakes.
“Aerial crews have also identified a small number of structures believed to be damaged in the other areas affected by the fires that will be confirmed by ground crews in the coming weeks as well as damage to any other structures,” the bulletin reads.
Owners of the destroyed properties have been notified.
- With files from CTV’s Daniel Halmarson and Devon McKendrick
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.