'Absolutely horrendous day' in Tataskweyak Cree Nation as wildfire destroys at least 7 homes

CBC News

· Posted: Jul 05, 2025 2:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Several homes connected a First Nation successful northeastern Manitoba person been destroyed by wildfire that has forced astir 200 radical to evacuate from the community.

At slightest 7 homes successful Tataskweyak Cree Nation were destroyed Friday aft a occurrence ignited and was rapidly dispersed by dense winds, the community's main and assembly said successful a societal media station connected Saturday.

"Yesterday was an perfectly horrendous day," Tataskweyak's enactment said successful the statement.

Tataskweyak, besides known arsenic Split Lake, archetypal declared a authorities of exigency connected May 29 owed to a adjacent wildfire. An evacuation bid was issued the adjacent time for the community, conscionable implicit 700 kilometres northbound of Winnipeg.

On June 17, conscionable hours aft Tataskweyak announced it was lifting the May evacuation order, the community declared a caller authorities of emergency because its h2o attraction works stopped working. Community members were asked not to instrumentality location until the issues were resolved.

On Friday night, Tataskweyak Chief Doreen Spence urged assemblage members to caput to the set bureau for an RCMP escort to the municipality of Gillam, astir 90 kilometres eastbound of Tataskweyak.

The 2025 Manitoba wildfire play successful photos:

About 175 radical were taken to Gillam's recreation centre, according to Tataskweyak's main and council, who besides said occurrence crews from Gillam and York Factory First Nation are expected successful Tataskweyak connected Saturday to assistance conflict the blaze.

Highway 280, which runs from Tataskweyak to the metropolis of Thompson, was closed from the junction of Highway 391 to Gilliam owed to fire, the province's 511 work said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the bluish First Nation advocacy radical Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak said Saturday that Marcel Colomb First Nation, successful northwestern Manitoba, is besides evacuating again owed to wildfire.

About 600 residents of the adjacent municipality of Lynn Lake began to evacuate Friday, lone 2 weeks aft they returned from an earlier evacuation.

Highway 391, from Lynn Lake to Marcel Colomb First Nation, was besides closed Friday nighttime owed to fire, according to 511.

While the state of Manitoba has lifted an earlier provincewide authorities of emergency, its latest occurrence bulletin connected Friday said the occidental and northeastern areas of the state inactive person a precocious to precise precocious occurrence danger, with immoderate pockets of utmost occurrence danger. 

The Manitoba Wildfire Service was responding to 64 progressive wildfires crossed the state arsenic of Friday, and determination had been a full of 205 wildfires to date — above the average of 176 full fires for this constituent successful the year.

Fire astir 8 km distant from Thompson: mayor

Meanwhile, to the southeast of Tataskweyak, a fire that ignited northbound of Thompson Friday was astir 8 kilometres distant from the metropolis of astir 13,000 connected Saturday, said Mayor Colleen Smook said. 

"Today, the winds person changed, truthful they're to our favour," she told CBC.

"There is nary panic concern close now," but "anything could alteration successful a substance of hours," she said.

She encouraged Thompson residents to state up their vehicles and to battalion medications, nutrient and different necessities successful lawsuit they person to permission astatine a moment's notice.

Thompson, a bluish hub, has historically served as a reception centre for bluish Manitoba wildfire evacuees, but determination person been instances wherever wildfires have threatened the city, said Smook.

"All the northbound works unneurotic to remediate arsenic champion arsenic we can," the Thompson mayor said. "The large happening is to beryllium prepared."

Find the latest wildfire accusation astatine these sources:

• Canadian wildfire map
• Province of Manitoba occurrence bulletins
• CBC's wildfire tracker
• Communities nether evacuations successful Manitoba

Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anyplace successful Manitoba oregon email [email protected].