Lynn Lake has called for a voluntary evacuation affecting residents with chronic health conditions or breathing problems after a wildfire caused by a lightning strike moved to within 15 kilometres of the town.
Pregnant woman and infant children can also take part in the evacuation of the town, which has about 900 regional residents, the province said it its latest fire bulletin.
Meantime, 100 evacuees from the Marcel Colomb First Nation that were staying in Lynn Lake will move to Thompson.
The province said it’s using resources from a number of agencies to work on fires, including Manitoba Sustainable Development, Emergency Measures Organization and the Office of the Fire Commissioner, and emergency social services from the province will be available to evacuees from Lynn Lake, if necessary.
Manitoba continues to see an-above average number of fire starts, with 19 new fires started Monday bringing the total this season to 270, well above the 20-year average for this date of 197.
Some eastern wildfire evacuees to return home Wednesday
While some Manitoba communities are experiencing an exodus, the Canadian Red Cross said 450 evacuees from Pauingassi First Nation will begin to return home Wednesday.
That after being out of their home community for more than a month, due to a wildfire that also led to the evacuation of Little Grand Rapids First Nation.
The Red Cross said returning evacuees will travel by air plane, float plane and helicopter, and it hopes to wrap up the return flights on Thursday.
