Groups in Thompson working to offer support, programming for seniors forced from homes by Manitoba fires
Hundreds of evacuees have been housed in Thompson evacuation centre
Wildfire evacuee Verna Merasty worries for the seniors who have been evacuated to the northern Manitoba city of Thompson.
Merasty is among those who fled from the town of Lynn Lake — about 230 kilometres northwest of Thompson — due to a nearby wildfire, which is out of control and has spread to more than 71,000 hectares in size, according to the province's Saturday fire bulletin from Saturday. The town was put under a mandatory evacuation order on May 27.
There are few things for seniors to do at the evacuation centre in Thompson, which has housed hundreds of wildfire evacuees since it first opened, said Merasty.
She was evacuated to Thompson — a city with a population of around 13,000 — along with everyone she knew in her community.
"They're just, like, sitting on their beds or outside here smoking, and there's only ... one area there where you can have quiet time for [those aged] 55 plus," Merasty told CBC News.
She said the focus so far has been on providing activities for children, but some are trying to help.
The Thompson Seniors Community Resource Council has set up programming that includes a drop-in centre with board games, puzzles and a chair yoga program. Events like a potluck and a concert have also been scheduled.
"The elders and seniors in the city of Thompson ... make us aware of their needs, and if we're able to assist or provide that need, we do," said Molly Stapleton, chairperson of the organization.
Seniors, like other evacuees, are worried about their own safety and the situation at home, said Stapleton.
"They're going to be very apprehensive if you don't know … when you're going home, or if you have a home to go to," she said. "It must be terrifying for some of them."
The human-caused fire near Lynn Lake has destroyed some abandoned buildings in the town. But as of Monday, all major infrastructure was reported to be safe, Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie said in the Manitoba Legislature.
As of Saturday, there were 28 active wildfires across the province, according to the province. Officials said earlier this week more than 18,000 evacuees have registered with the Canadian Red Cross.
Stapleton said sometimes, giving people a quiet, peaceful place to spend time goes a long way — which is exactly what University College of the North is offering.
The university's Thompson campus, adjacent to the evacuation centre, opened up its ininiwi kiskinwamakewin Centre — which hosts Indigenous cultural events for students — as a quiet space for seniors and elders.
"It can be quite overstimulating and overwhelming to be cramped together with 500-plus other people that you may not know quite as well as you would like," said Regan McLellan, co-ordinator of the centre.
The centre also provides soup and bannock for seniors who want a taste of home, said McLellan.
The province also announced details this week about financial assistance for eligible evacuees.
To qualify for the wildfire incidental support program, evacuees must be permanent Manitoba residents, have a primary residence in a community or First Nation with a mandatory evacuation and be registered with the Canadian Red Cross.
That registration can be done online or by calling 1-800-863-6582 (toll-free) between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Manitobans evacuated under a mandatory order are eligible to receive $27 per day for children 12 and under and $34 per day for everyone age 13 and older. More information about the support program can be found on the province's website.
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