Winnipeg opens its doors as thousands flee crippling fires in northern Manitoba

Winnipeg has opened its doors to thousands of evacuees fleeing crippling wildfires that have prompted a provincewide state of emergency in Manitoba.

The fires have forced 17,000 people from their homes in remote communities and First Nations, including 6,000 in and around the city of Flin Flon.

Premier Wab Kinew says he believes it’s Manitoba’s largest such exodus in living memory.

Kinew has said he spoke to Prime Minister Mark Carney, who agreed to deploy the military to help with evacuation flights to Winnipeg.

There was little to no visible foot traffic at the main evacuation centre at the Billy Mosienko Arena in Winnipeg, but security kept media away.

Other evacuees will be housed at larger facilities such as recreation centres and soccer fields.

Driving along a dark and smoky highway, with cars lined up bumper to bumper, it took Rob Burroughs more than 12 hours to get to Winnipeg from his home in Flin Flon. On a normal day, it usually takes seven.

“We could see (the fire) very well throughout the night,” he said Thursday outside an evacuation centre in Winnipeg. “The night before, the wind was in our favour … but then we were told that the wind was going to change on Wednesday, and it did.

“We could see (the fire) perfectly. Red (skies) and lots of black smoke.”

Residents of Flin Flon were told Wednesday to flee south with their essentials and be out of town by midnight. Prior to the evacuation order, the city had already been sending hospital patients out.

“Some of the residents, like my kids, live right off the perimeter, which is only one-and-a-half kilometres from the fire,” Burroughs said. “(First responders) were going door to door, telling them to get out.”

Burroughs said he waited for his three adult children and his common-law partner to get off work before fleeing to Winnipeg in his pickup truck and a borrowed SUV.

They plan to stay at an evacuation centre for the day before checking in at a hotel Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.