Pimicikamak Cree Nation struggles with evacuations as people return out of frustration

One day after Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias said 767 people in the northern Manitoba community needed to evacuate, there are now close to 1,000 waiting to leave.

That's part of the frustration Monias says he's facing with exits being blocked by wildfires, airlifts unavailable and long waits for ferries.

"Some have somehow made it back," he said of evacuees who left on Wednesday and headed south toward Norway House Cree Nation, after Monias ordered a mandatory evacuation.

Hundreds of vehicles and buses took people to the ferry for the crossing to that community, but the bottleneck meant some waited up to nine hours without food or water, Monias said. It appears many got fed up with waiting and returned to Pimicikamak. 

Some residents were flown out earlier this week from the airport in Pimicikamak, about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg on the shores of Cross Lake, but high winds and dry conditions worsened the situation this week. Flights were grounded.

The remaining 6,500 residents were told to head to Norway House, even though that community was only expecting 1,000 evacuees.

In an update Friday afternoon Monias said Provincial Road 373 — which connects Pimicikamak with Winnipeg through Highway 6  — would be open until 8 p.m. CT for people heading to the city from Cross Lake and Norway House.

Since Thursday, the Canadian Armed Forces has been flying four Hercules aircraft into Norway House to pick up Pimicikamak evacuees and get them to Brandon or Winnipeg. The plane then heads back to Norway House for another load.

Monias said each round trip takes about three hours, so it's a slow process.

Just over 3,000 Pimicikamak residents were still on the list to be evacuated from Norway House as of Friday morning.

The thick smoke in Pimicikamak cleared out by late afternoon Thursday, as the wind changed direction and the sky cleared, Monias said.

"We were so happy. [It was] easier to breathe, easier on the throat."

But the airport has remained quiet. Monias was making calls Friday to see if any privately run airlines could help out, but he wasn't sure how long that window of clear skies would remain open.

"[The fire] is continuing to move towards our direction despite the wind blowing against it. The wind is slowing it down," he said.

"But the wind changes frequently, and then it'll be coming towards our way again probably at the end of the day or evening. So that means more smoke and more fire coming again. It's very concerning."

He was also on the phone with federal government officials, requesting water bombers to clear some of the flames from the highways.

"It would give us the chance to see if we can get people out that way," he said.

By Friday afternoon, an RCMP official told CBC News the highway has been temporarily reopened and evacuations were taking place that way. The spokesperson did not know how many were able to leave.

More evacuations ordered

Meanwhile, mandatory evacuations were also ordered Friday for Schist Lake and Big Island Lake, while the campground at nearby Bakers Narrows Provincial Park was evacuated and shut down Thursday night.

All three locations are just southeast of Flin Flon, a city of 5,000 near the Saskatchewan border in northwestern Manitoba that faces a dire situation due to an approaching wildfire.

Cranberry Portage, about 35 kilometres southeast of Flin Flon, is also under a voluntary evacuation because it's running out of gas and supplies. The community is along Highway 10, which has been closed due to fires. The closest gas supply is in Grand Rapids, roughly a 350-kilometre drive away.

On the east side of the province, the community of Bissett has also been ordered to evacuate due to the out-of-control Nopiming/Bird River fire, which is about 125,000 hectares in size, according to the province.

Everyone was told to be out Friday morning.

As of Thursday, the most recent update from the province, there were 22 active wildfires in Manitoba. There have been a total of 103 already this season, far above the province's 20-year annual average of 80 at this time of year.

More than 17,000 people are being evacuated from northern, western and eastern regions of Manitoba, and a provincewide state of emergency has been declared.

The communities being cleared out include Lynn Lake, Pukatawagan Cree Nation (also known as Mathias Colomb First Nation), Marcel Colomb First Nation and Sherridon.

Norway House and Chemawawin Cree Nation (Easterville) are under evacuation notices, with people ordered to be ready to leave.

The Manitoba FireView map includes locations, sizes and other information about the wildfires.

Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anywhere in Manitoba or email 211mb@findhelp.ca.