Many residents of northern Manitoba continue to wait out the wildfires in Winnipeg, wondering when they can head home.
The approximately 300 residents of Leaf Rapids, Man., were given 24 hours to leave on July 7, and have been away from home ever since.
“Looking at the fire outside, it was scary,” Leaf Rapids wildfire evacuee Beatrice Linklater told Global News.
Clayton Baker says the reality and risk of wildfires near their home is something with which they are becoming more and more familiar.
“We learned a little bit from the first fire three years ago, so we were semi-ready,” Baker told Global News.
“But in an emergency state situation like we have; (you have to) get up, get ready. It’s hectic.”
Elizabeth Charrier has lived in Leaf Rapids her entire life. She’s currently staying in a Winnipeg hotel with her two young children.
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“We don’t really know what we’re going back to,” Charrier said.
“It’s been a challenge, but we’re making it work for the kids.”
As of Monday, one of the wildfires near Leaf Rapids was approximately four kilometres from town. The province says there are currently 120 active fires in Manitoba, with 331 to date.
Charrier says a lack of local leadership is making things more challenging for Leaf Rapids residents, as the community has been without a mayor and council since 2019. She says that has made direction and communication sparse.
“We just don’t really know who to go to in these situations,” she said. “I know a lot of evacuees have that support from their community, but we don’t really have anyone advocating for us now that we’re (in Winnipeg).”
She hopes the situation is able to get under control, so she and her family can head home soon.
“It doesn’t sound too good. The fire is still growing and out of control,” Charrier said.
“We don’t know and that’s the biggest thing, is the anxiety from everybody. They’re all feeling it.”
In an emailed statement to Global News, a provincial spokesperson says the Town of Leaf Rapids is posting regular updates about the wildfire on social media, and the province is working closely with evacuees through the evacuation centres.
Several other northern Manitoba communities are also still under evacuation orders, including Lynn Lake, Marcel Colomb First Nation, Tataskweyak Cree Nation, Garden Hill Anisininew Nation, and the Town of Snow Lake.
Erika Cheadle was one of the residents of Snow Lake placed under a mandatory evacuation order on July 9, which was the second time Snow Lake residents were evacuated this summer. She says they’re desperately waiting for the call to return home.
“Living in the north, our summers are so short, so going on a combined total of nearly a month away from our homes is frustrating and heartbreaking as we look forward to summer all winter long,” Cheadle wrote to Global News.
Cheadle’s husband stayed in the community to volunteer with the local fire department.
“We have a new baby so this has been extra challenging for us and really hard for my husband to be away from her,” she wrote.
“Every day we are checking multiple apps looking for favourable conditions to come our way.”
She also says the mental and financial impact is weighing heavily on many.
“Not working means no income, but of course the bills don’t stop,” she added.
“It would be wonderful to have more transparency in communications and decisions with the evacuees as we are the ones impacted the most. If you’re able to sleep in your own bed every night, then you don’t understand this feeling.
“We are desperately waiting for the call to return home.”
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