Note: This story is a live file and will be updated as new information arrives. This story was last updated at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The staff of The Reminder has evacuated Flin Flon, but will keep writing updates as long as possible during the emergency. If you have questions or concerns you would like us to chase or add here about the fire, evacuations or anything else, please notify us at [email protected].
The directions Friday morning were simple - if you're still in Flin Flon, you need to get out now.
The last bus of evacuees left Flin Flon's City Hall at 10 a.m. Friday, leaving only firefighting crews in the community to fight the blaze that is threatening Flin Flon. The Club/WE024 fire, which started near the Creighton landfill Monday night, has grown to over 40,000 hectares and size and burned through wide swaths of bone-dry brush north and northeast of Flin Flon. Now, with almost no rain in the forecast, a daytime high of 30 degrees and the wind potentially pushing the fire in a different direction, the fire may bear down closer to the community.
As of Friday morning, the fire still hadn't breached the perimeter or burned any homes or structures in Flin Flon. No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire. Manitoba Highway 10 is currently closed due to fires further to the south - the bus that left Flin Flon will head out using Manitoba Highway 39, going toward Snow Lake and Thompson before taking Manitoba Highway 6 to Winnipeg.
"The bus will transport remaining evacuees to Winnipeg. Evacuees will have accommodations there," reads a statement issued by the City of Flin Flon.
"RCMP have done door-knocking, have visited apartments, have checked senior complexes, however we want to ensure no one was missed."
City of Flin Flon employees and members of the public that had stayed behind following the evacuation order are now on their way out. Local firefighters are still working on the blaze, as are members from the Manitoba Wildfire Service and Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency and firefighters from other communities that have headed north - contrary to rumours that have circulated online, firefighters are not being evacuated from the area. The Flin Flon General Hospital has now closed, with staff members also heading out - long-term care residents at the Flin Flon Personal Care Home and Northern Lights Manor have been evacuated to different centres in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, along with long-term patients at the hospital.
"The last of our non-emergency and administrative and management teams are preparing to leave the city. Updates and information may be limited at this time," reads an update from the City of Flin Flon issued shortly before noon Friday.
Further evacuations
More areas around Flin Flon are now issuing evacuation orders.
The RM of Kelsey called for a voluntary evacuation of Cranberry Portage Friday morning. While the order isn't mandatory and the Club/WE024 fire isn't threatening the community, the Highway 10 closure would impact residents' access to needed supplies.
"Due to the limited resources in Cranberry Portage, we are calling for a voluntary evacuation," reads the RM's statement, urging people to take Highway 39, then taking Manitoba Highway 60 around Easterville before going to The Pas via Highway 10.
"Transportation services are being worked on for those without access to their own transportation and updates will be posted once those have been confirmed. Please note that the community is not currently at fire risk. This is a precautionary measure due to the Highway 10 closure by Sturgeon Landing and Highway 39."
Residents at nearby cabin areas have also been told to leave. All residents in Bakers Narrows Provincial Park, including cabin owners at places like Blondie's Beach, were asked to evacuate the area Friday morning. The campground at Bakers Narrows was closed and evacuated Thursday.
The Little Athapap Cottage Association has also called for all Northern Affairs residents in the cottage area to evacuate their cabins. That includes residents near Bakers Narrows and Lake Athapapuskow, Payuk Lake, Twin Lakes and the northwest region of White Lake. Residents are asked to leave no later than 3 p.m. local time. Once again, these areas are not currently at fire risk - the evacuation is being called due to the Highway 10 closure.
The cottage association for Big Island and Schist Lake also issued an evacuation order early Friday morning, covering all areas of Big Island Lake, Bay Side/Creek Side and the south end. All residents were asked to clear out by noon local time.
Red Cross update
There was good news for evacuees late Thursday and early Friday, as the Manitoba government and the Red Cross clarified information about compensation for evacuees. While at first evacuee per diems were only being made available for evacuees who had made it to Winnipeg, the groups confirmed that per diems would now be available to all evacuees registered with the Red Cross, regardless of where they ended up.
"All evacuees are eligible for emergency social services regardless of location," reads a statement from a provincial government spokesperson.
"If an evacuee is in a shelter situation where no meal is provided, then a financial assistance component may be available. If an evacuee is in a congregate facility where food and accommodations are provided, no financial assistance is provided on top of that. However, other supports, like psycho-social supports and other liaison supports, are still available."
Anyone seeking to registr with the Red Cross or to donate to their campaign can do so at https://www.redcross.ca/2025manitobawildfires.
