Province asks people to reconsider travel plans to free up hotel rooms for evacuees

WINNIPEG — More U.S. firefighters are on their way to Manitoba, as the provincial government issued a plea to people to “reconsider” non-essential travel to free up hotel rooms as wildfires continue to burn around the province.

The province expects that more hotel rooms might be needed for evacuees as the wildfire season continues.

“I know Manitobans want to do their part to help, so refraining from non-essential travel in our province during this time of serious challenge is one step we can take together to support our fellow Manitobans,” Lisa Naylor, the minister responsible for Emergency Management Operations, said at a news conference that provided an update on the wildfires situation Monday afternoon.

About 21,000 registered evacuees from 27 communities have fled Manitoba wildfires. Some have been sent outside the province, to southern Ontario.

Naylor suggested people hosting conventions or planning family trips should postpone until later this summer.

“We just want everybody in Manitoba to contribute to the efforts that we’re making here to make safe spaces available for all Manitobans who’ve been evacuated,” she said.

The government is working with the local tourism sector and the Manitoba Hotel Association to secure the necessary hotel rooms, she said.

The association estimates there are about 15,000 hotel rooms in the province.

Since declaring a provincial state of emergency on May 28, the province has set up four congregate shelters for wildfire evacuees, with reception centres in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson.

Michael Juce, the president of the hotel association, declined an interview request.

“Hotels are here to help, and ready to serve the communities they operate in. Hotels have been there for communities in previous emergencies, and they will continue to do their best to help all guests and let them know they are welcome,” Juce said in an emailed statement.

“Hotels will continue to work with government and other stakeholders to fill the rooms in the province.”

The statement did not address a question about whether the association is concerned about the effect, if any, on members’ bottom lines.

Naylor said she is mindful of how the government’s request may impact the tourism sector.

Louise Waldman, a spokeswoman for Tourism Manitoba, said the agency’s thoughts are with evacuees and emergency responders, but the agency is seeking clarification on Naylor’s statement.

“There are many (tourism operators) in different parts of the province — including some who have just been able to reopen following earlier wildfire closures — who will be impacted,” said Waldman.

“The majority of tourism operators in Manitoba are small and medium-sized businesses, many of whom are reliant on a busy summer season to survive. This includes lodges, fly-in fishing operations and resorts. We will need to work with impacted operators and provincial officials in the weeks and months to come.”

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie said more U.S. fire crews were arriving in Manitoba Monday to assist in firefighting efforts.

Although local firefighters and support personnel are being assisted by hundreds of firefighters from across Canada and the U.S., Bushie said the province still needs more help.

“We continue to make requests from various partners to bolster our wildfire response,” he said. “This remains a state of emergency.”

There are currently 225 out-of-province firefighters in Manitoba, 99 of them from south of the border, according to data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister of the Manitoba Wildfire Service, said the fire crews’ main objectives are to continue work on the flanks adjacent to communities, set up and maintain value protection and establish fire guards in communities most threatened by fire.

Fire guards have been set up adjacent to Lynn Lake, Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake) and Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake).

There were 29 fires burning across Manitoba Monday, with 10 considered out of control. To date this year, 116 fires have been recorded.

Two fires, one near Sherridon and the other encroaching on Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Pukatawagan), are so close to each other they may merge, Hayward said.

“It’s quite likely that they will join up. However, we’re confident in our work to protect the communities themselves, so even if they do, we’re not particularly concerned about a large, mega-fire,” she said.

The fires threatening Sherridon and Flin Flon merged last week for a combined 307,000 hectares of inferno.

The blaze burning near Mathias Colomb reached 55,000 hectares at last count.

Despite weekend rain in the area, precipitation did little to contain the blaze near Flin Flon, but the city’s mayor, George Fontaine, said flames haven’t reached the city and crews are holding the line.

The threat forced all 5,000 residents from their homes. Only emergency personnel remain.

Fontaine, who was evacuated to Winnipeg, said while residents are eager to return home, many are connecting while they’re displaced.

“There’s a barbecue set up for tomorrow and some sort of music gathering, that kind of thing,” he said. “So the different groups of people are going to meet as groups and share stories and share some comfort in being together.

“It’s nice for everybody to look around, see familiar faces when you’re in a strange place and know that everybody’s putting up with the same thing.”

The town of Snow Lake was under a mandatory evacuation order for all 1,100 of its residents as of noon Saturday.

The province established a website to relay information about active fires, evacuation orders and resources for evacuees.

As of Monday, the website tracked more than 18,000 users, Bushie said.

Pimicikamak Chief David Monias said cool weather and a bit of rain have helped to control the 21,000-hectare blaze near his community, but they’re not out of the woods yet.

“At this time, fire experts are not recommending a return of evacuees to the community. The risk is still too high,” Monias said in an update on social media.

Manitoba conservation has laid 74 charges and issued 28 warnings since May 1 for wildfire-related offences such as area closures and fire bans, Hayward said.

Most of the charges have been laid under the Wildfire Act or the Provincial Parks Act and do not include charges laid by the RCMP.

Mounties laid two arson charges last month but Hayward assured the news conference it has not been a widespread problem.

“Many of our fires remain under investigation (but) I wouldn’t say people are out deliberately setting fires on a large scale,” she said.

No charges have been laid in connection with any of the large-scale fires burning in Manitoba, she said.

» Winnipeg Free Press, with files from Erik Pindera and the Canadian Press