Manitoba battling 16 wildfires by Friday, largest blazes clustered in the southeast
Province heightens fire and travel restrictions including near U.S. and Ontario borders east of Lake Winnipeg
The number of active wildfires in Manitoba was slightly reduced by Friday, but with more than a dozen still burning the province has heightened restrictions for open blazes and travel out east.
There have been 81 wildfires in Manitoba so far this year — 16 of them are still active, according to a fire bulletin issued by the province on Friday.
The number is down from 21 wildfires the province said were active by Thursday.
The largest active wildfire in the province, near Nopiming Provincial Park, stretches nearly 100,000 hectares, according to the province. That fire has forced the evacuation of Bernic Lake Mine, 180 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and close to the Ontario border.
The closest wildfire to Lac du Bonnet, where at least 800 people were evacuated from their homes earlier this week, was six kilometres away from the rural municipality by Friday. That blaze has burned approximately 4,000 hectares to date.
The wildfire in Ingolf, Ont., has spread over 4,000 hectares into Manitoba's east, where the province has declared a local state of emergency, a mandatory evacuation, and the temporary closure of Whiteshell Provincial Park.
In the rural municipality of Piney, near the U.S. border, crews, including helicopters, are battling a wildfire that has spread over 7,000 hectares near the town of Carrick.
A wildfire is also burning two kilometres away from the Rural Municipality of Libau, about 50 kilometres north of Winnipeg. According to the fire bulletin, the fire was approximately 5,000 hectares in size by Friday.
A wildfire is still burning close to The Pas in Manitoba's northwest, spreading over 40,100 hectares by Friday.
Travel and fire restrictions
The Manitoba Wildfire Service is heightening the level of travel and fire restrictions in the province's southeast corner.
From the U.S. border to Highway 304, east of Lake Winnipeg, backcountry travel, including with ATV, motorized vehicles and off-road vehicles is no longer allowed, unless with a permit issued by a local conservation officer for industrial operations.
There is no access for outfitters, except for staff necessary to protect property under a travel permit. A full fire ban remains in effect and all existing burning permits have now been cancelled in this area, according to the province.
A map with all the restrictions is available on the province's website.