More than 300 residents evacuated as grass fire burns in Traverse Bay

A fast-moving grass fire has forced more than 300 residents in Manitoba's Traverse Bay area to evacuate their homes as local firefighters battle the blaze.

Around 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, the Victoria Beach Fire Department confirmed in a public announcement posted to Facebook that it was fighting a fast-spreading grass fire in the beach community located about 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg on Lake Winnipeg's southern shore.

"The sky was just full of black and white smoke, just huge billowing smoke coming up," said Brent Gillon, who drove by the fire around 4:30 p.m., before the emergency alert went out to the public.

"The woods were fully engulfed."

The Municipality of Alexander, which includes Traverse Bay, estimates between 300 and 400 residents were evacuated from homes located between Sunrise Road at Traverse Bay Road North, toward Lake Winnipeg; and Traverse Bay Road East at Pitt Road, toward Lake Winnipeg.

The municipality has declared a local state of emergency, which will remain in effect until May 2. A fire ban is also in place.

Evacuees were initially told to go to the Esso gas station at the corner of Highway 59 and Highway 11 — a spot that has previously been used as a "clearing space," says owner Paul Gooding.

Gooding told CBC there were between 70 and 80 evacuees in the Esso parking lot just before 7 p.m. Saturday. 

"They're all very anxious, which is completely understandable," he said, watching the smoke's colour periodically shift from light to dark and back again.

Around 7 p.m., the municipality updated its evacuation notice, asking affected residents to register at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre. They had until 10 p.m. to grab any pets and other essentials from their homes.

'Winds are really strong'

Residents would not be able to return to their homes Saturday night, said Gisèle Smith, the municipality's chief administrative officer. 

Smith told CBC around 9 p.m. that the fire had dwindled to ground level, but it's hard to predict when it might be extinguished. At that point, fire crews were still on site.

"The winds are really strong right now. So I'm sure that's what made the fire go so fast," she said.

Evacuees can't stay at the community centre, Smith said, so they may have to stay overnight at a nearby motel if they have nowhere else to go. 

R.D. Brown says he lives north of the blaze, but his brother-in-law lives near Eastland Road and had to move his truck and trailer out of the area. 

Brown said his family is waiting for more information from the municipality, while preparing to flee if the wind changes.

"I'm just trying to think of what you got that you can't replace, and grab it," Brown said, adding he's getting the vehicles ready just in case they have to go.

"In a couple hours, we'll have a better idea of what's going on and how it's going to affect us. But right now the wind's blowing south, so that's a good thing," he said.

"If it changes to the north, well, it'll be a whole different picture."