'We need to get our people in hotels,' says Garden Hill vice-chief as 1,000 evacuees to arrive Saturday
1,800 people have already been moved to city since mandatory evacuation order issued Thursday
Garden Hill Anisininew Nation leaders are calling on all levels of government to help secure hotel rooms for hundreds of wildfire evacuees as a congregate shelter in Winnipeg became crowded on Saturday and northern Manitoba wildfires threatened their homes and the health of those still waiting to get out.
Garden Hill's Vice-Chief Craig Munroe says 1,800 people have been moved to Winnipeg since the remote First Nation issued a mandatory evacuation order on Thursday — the same day the province declared another state of emergency due to wildfires.
"It's sad because we are being displaced from our homes and we're being moved to the city. We do not want to be here, but we have to do what we have to do for the safety of our people," Munroe said.
Another 1,000 Garden Hill evacuees were expected to arrive on Saturday, with the help of Hercules military aircraft from the Canadian Armed Forces.
More than 4,000 people live in the remote, fly-in First Nation in northeastern Manitoba.
Charles Knott, who left the First Nation with his wife about two weeks ago due to medical concerns from the wildfire smoke, said they were able to find a hotel room.
But he's been running supplies to the congregate shelter on Leila Avenue, where his grandchildren are staying until rooms become available.
"They're still there waiting for a room. That's the thing, they can't find any rooms because it's all booked everywhere," Knott said outside the Winnipeg hotel he's been staying at.
He said it's sad to see so many of his community members crowded together in the Garden City soccer complex, sleeping on cots in the open.
"It was just chaos, people just lining up, waiting," he said, adding that children and youth are getting restless while waiting to find out where they will be sent next.
"I'm just trying to help my community out, whatever I can. There's a lot of people that need help here," Knott said.
A donation centre has been set up on Arlington Street, where the First Nation is collecting necessities like baby formula and diapers for infants being evacuated.
An evacuee shelter has also been set up at the University of Winnipeg's Axworthy Health and RecPlex, with another to be set up at the RBC Convention Centre.
Vice-Chief Munroe said Garden Hill has set up a command centre at a Winnipeg hotel and community leaders are working to move their most vulnerable residents, particularly elders and children, from the Leila shelter into hotel rooms.
"I want to urge all governments to continue to try and help us because these complexes, they're not ideal for our people. I've heard reports, even yesterday, that people could not sleep on these cots, it was loud," he said.
"We need to get our people in hotels, we need to get our kids, our youth in hotels."
Fire threatens to corner First Nation on remote peninsula
Garden Hill is a remote fly-in community about 475 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, situated on a triangular peninsula on Island Lake.
Munroe said the fire has been spreading rapidly, threatening to encircle the First Nation.
"It's coming so close to our houses and it's creeping into our community," he said. "I'm praying that it will not wrap around our whole community."
Garden Hill evacuee Timothy Barkman, who has been staying at a Winnipeg hotel with his family for the past three days, said he's worried about the place he's called home for the last 15 years.
"The main thing I'm worried about is my house because … they say the fire is coming that way to our community," he said.
Knott said he's seen pictures and videos of wildfire smoke getting thicker around the community.
The smoke was so thick on Saturday morning that the Hercules military plane couldn't land at Garden Hill's airstrip, according to Munroe.
"We are cornered by the looks of it. The fire is behind our home," Knott said. "If the wind blows from the north, it will go straight to our community."
Munroe said 1,200 front-line workers — including local firefighters, emergency personnel and council members — will be left in the community after Saturday's evacuation efforts.
But those left behind are falling ill, Munroe said. Council is asking all levels of government for more help fighting the fires.
"Our front-line workers who are on the ground are getting sick because of the heavy smoke and they're starting to get lung infections," he said.
"We need more ground support in Garden Hill."
Find the latest wildfire information at these sources:
- Canadian wildfire map
- Province of Manitoba fire bulletins
- CBC's wildfire tracker
- Communities under evacuations in Manitoba
Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anywhere in Manitoba or email 211mb@findhelp.ca.
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With files from Felisha Adam