The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters (MANF) and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development continued over the weekend to coordinate the voluntary evacuation of high-priority evacuees and their escorts from the Split Lake reserve. Efforts at Split Lake, located about 104 kilometres northeast of Thompson, were a precautionary measure because of heavy smoke in the area. The elderly, people with lung conditions and breathing problems and pregnant women have been voluntarily evacuated, but most residents remained behind in Split Lake. MANF told Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship that 785 Split Lake residents had been evacuated _ with 132 going to Thompson and 653 going to Winnipeg, the province said Monday. Priority 1 and 2 list evacuees were bussed southwest to Thompson on Provincial Route 280 and those going onto Winnipeg were sent to Thompson Airport, while those staying in Thompson were lodged at local hotels. Some stayed for a night in Thompson before moving onto Winnipeg. As of Monday, that still left about 1,300 Split Lake residents who hadn't joined the voluntary evacuation. The evacuation was triggered last week by a 15,000-hectare forest fire mapped by GPS as directly north of Assean Lake, and about eight kilometres northwest of Split Lake. The forest fire was triggered by lighting July 3, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship says. The fire had not crossed Assean Lake, where a number of Split Lake residents have cabins. The Office of the Fire Commissioner was on the ground in Split Lake. The Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters was formed in 1991. Its membership is composed of _ and directed by _ Manitoba First Nations fire chiefs. MANF along with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, are signatories to a contribution agreement for the delivery of regional fire safety and emergency management programs. _ John Barker, Thompson Citizen
