With smoke from Manitoba and Saskatchewan wildfires blanketing the community at times and dry, windy weather conditions with little rain in the forecast, it is shaping up to be an unprecedented wildfire season in our province.

 

As numerous communities in the North have been evacuated due to smoke or encroaching fires over the past week and others are in the process of evacuating, it is natural to wonder whether Thompson is at risk from this year’s wildfires.

 

Fortunately, there are no active fires with less than 80 kilometres of Thompson at this time and local impacts have been limited to poor air quality due to smoke from distant wildfires and the closure of the TRCC to provide temporary shelter to people displaced from Lynn Lake and Marcel Colomb First Nation.

 

As of Sunday, June 1, there were 5 active fires burning in Manitoba’s northern fire region, including the one by Lynn Lake, another west of Split Lake/Tataskweyak Cree Nation, two in the Pimicikamak Cree Nation/Cross Lake area and one near Wabowden.

 

The Wabowden fire was under control while the other four were out of control and have resulted in mandatory evacuation orders for residents of nearby communities and First Nations.

 

Numerous fires are also burning in the northwest area of Manitoba, including fires near Flin Flon, Sherridon and Pukatawagan/Mathias Colomb Cree Nation that have resulted in mandatory evacuation orders for those communities as well as for Cranberry Portage.

 

Wildfire information is available on the Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures website at https://www.gov.mb.ca/nrnd/wildfire_program/

 

While Thompson is currently not under threat from any wildfires, it is still necessary to take precautions. A fire ban remains in effect for the City of Thompson and there is also an ATV/dirt bike ban as well. Dry and windy conditions mean the fire risk remains very high and it is possible that there will be fires closer to Thompson as the wildfire season progresses.

 

Residents should be prepared in the event that the local situation changes later this spring or summer.

Emergency preparedness materials and information are available on the City of Thompson website at: www.thompson.ca/p/emergency-preparedness

 

Staying informed is also critical in the event of an emergency. Register to receive text and email notifications from the City of Thompson by signing up for Thompson Connect at www.thompson.ca/p/connect