The Canadian Red Cross is supporting evacuees who left their First Nations this week due to wildfires near Grand Rapids and the community of Homebrook west of Highway 6.
Members of Misipawistik Cree Nation who evacuated their community earlier this week and residents with health conditions that could have been affected by smoke, most of whom were staying in Thompson, have now returned home after the First Nation’s leadership determined it was safe to do so, the Red Cross said.
Evacuees from Little Saskatchewan First Nation, Dauphin River First Nation and Pinaymootang First Nation, who left their communities May 19 due to concerns about the effect of smoke on health conditions, are returning home today after their communities’ leaders decided it was safe to do so.
Members of Lake St. Martin First Nation who evacuated due to health concerns are still staying in hotels in Winnipeg while some members of Skownan First Nation are staying in Dauphin. They will return home when community leaders believe it is safe.
The evacuees received food, places to stay and other support from the Red Cross through an agreement it has with the federal government to provide disaster assistance to Manitoba First Nations.
The fire near Homebrook is still classified as out-of-control by Manitoba’s wildfire service and covered an area of nearly 200,000 hectares measuring 80 kilometres long and 16 kilometres wide at its widest point as of May 20.
