Wildfires threaten 2 northern Manitoba communities; smoke reaches Winnipeg

Two northern Manitoba communities are the latest to battle raging blazes as the active wildfire season continues across the Prairies.

On Monday, Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias says a brush fire broke out near his community, bringing heavy smoke and poor air quality.

Monias says the fire is not currently posing a threat to the community, which is 775 kilometres north of Winnipeg, but he says that could change quickly.

“Overnight, about one o’clock in the morning, I got an update from the crews that are flying around, that there were strong east winds that were coming up and the fire flared up,” said Monias. “It grew up to five times than what it was before.

“We have to make sure we take precautions and make sure that we keep it monitored and get crews on it right away.”

Chief Monias says this is the first fire his community is battling this year and hopes it’s the last.

“Right now, we are making sure we continue to monitor, we continue to fight it, and put out as much as possible,” he said.

Wildfire near Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba seen from plane on May 15, 2023. (Submitted by: David Monias)

About 120 kilometres south in Norway House Cree Nation, fire crews were battling two wildfires – one north of the community and another west of it.

Chief Larson Anderson says the fires were contained by Tuesday afternoon. But due to a lack of equipment, he worries if another fire sparks, they may not be as prepared.

“Having no attack crew (to battle the fire) is certainly a concern going forward and we have expressed that concern before,” said Anderson. “We also don’t have a local conservation officer for quite some time now. We don’t have that monitoring on a daily basis, so that is a serious concern.”

Winnipeg air quality concerns 

While Alberta has been hardest hit so far this wildfire season – with 86 active wildfires as of Tuesday afternoon – fires are also burning in Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba.

Winnipeg and much of southern Manitoba dealt with smoky and hazy skies Tuesday, sparking concerns over air quality.

READ: Experts foresee more heat waves as May hot spell shatters Alberta, B.C. records

Meteorologist Sara Hoffman says major fires in north and central Saskatchewan and the fires in northern Manitoba have left Winnipeg in a haze.

“It’s a very difficult thing to forecast because so much depends on the input factors,” said Hoffman with Environment and Climate Change Canada. “Is there a fire? How is it being fought? What’s the wind direction? What fuels are being burned?

“It looks like the Prairies and perhaps most of North America will be dealing with wildfires this summer.”

Haze in Winnipeg on May 16, 2023, due to wildfires burning in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. (Alex Karpa/CityNews)

Wildfires and lung health

Neil Johnston, the president of the Manitoba Lung Association, says wildfire smoke can significantly impact lung health and other systems in the body.

He says there are things people living in smoky areas can do to try and avoid that hazy air, particularly those who suffer from respiratory conditions.

“Make sure you have your medications with you when you go out – your reliever medication and your preventer medication – and make sure you take your preventer regularly as prescribed,” he said. “Have your reliever there just in case you do get into trouble.”