‘A serious situation’: Manitoba evacuates provincial park, warns of deadly wildfires

LAC DU BONNET — Wildfires in eastern Manitoba prompted the government to evacuate and close another popular provincial park ahead of the long weekend, while many offered condolences to the family of a stranded couple found dead in the ashes.

Flags were lowered to half-mast at the legislature, where politicians held a moment of silence Thursday. Opposition Progressive Conservative legislature member Rick Wowchuk named the victims as Richard and Sue Nowell.

“I rise with a heavy heart and with deep care for the many families, communities and first responders facing what may be one of the most difficult wildfire seasons our province has ever experienced,” Wowchuk said.

Another Tory caucus member, Konrad Narth, told the house that the victims’ son and his girlfriend were able to escape but were injured.

RCMP had said they received reports Tuesday that some residents in the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, a popular lakefront cottage area northeast of Winnipeg, were stranded because of a fast-moving fire. But officers could not get to the site.

The bodies were found Wednesday.

Officials said 28 cottages and homes in the rural municipality were destroyed.

Another 20 active fires were also burning in the province.

Premier Wab Kinew declared a state of local emergency to aid the evacuation of Whiteshell Provincial Park due to the fires. There are 239 permanent homes in the area and residents had until Thursday afternoon to get out. Some other parks were evacuated or closed to the public earlier in the week.

“We’re heading into a long weekend that is going to be challenging. We have a flood warning on the west side of the province and numerous out-of-control fires on the eastern side of the province,” Kinew told a news conference.

He urged people to obey evacuation orders and — even though there is no provincewide fire ban — asked people to avoid campfires and fireworks over the weekend.

“We lost lives in Manitoba … this is a serious situation and I think everyone will understand that we are going to definitely take the cautious and safety-minded approach in this situation.”

The area, which straddles the boundary with Ontario, had managed to stay out of the path of the fires. But officials said a blaze near Ingolf, Ont., roughly 70 kilometres west of Kenora, had crossed into Manitoba. It was estimated to be around 230 square kilometres in size.

Manitoba was also hosting 1,200 evacuees from Ontario.

Manitoba asked the national agency in charge of wildfire resource sharing to send in 80 additional firefighters to help.

Officials said about 40 firefighters from B.C. helping in northern Manitoba might be redirected to help with fires in the east.

“It’s tough to see our residents, our friends, our family in a situation like this,” said Ken Lodge, mayor of the town of Lac du Bonnet.

He said he knew the couple who died. They were well liked in the community and volunteered regularly, Lodge said.

“Basically, we function like one community. We’re all so interrelated socially.”

Manitoba Hydro said in a statement that one of the victims was an employee, but he was not working at the time.

About 1,000 people were ordered to leave the region earlier this week as the fires were spurred by dry, hot and windy conditions.

Paul Kochanski lives in Winnipeg and has owned a cabin in the Lac du Bonnet region for more than 30 years.

When word got out that a fire was approaching the area, Kochanski went to check on his property. Strong winds were coming off a nearby lake, clouds were billowing with smoke and water bombers were flying over treetops.

“I was just jaw-dropped of the smoke and the fire,” he said, adding he managed to grab some items from his cabin before leaving.

He said he feels grateful, because his cabin was spared.

Evacuee Ed Martens, standing outside the Lac du Bonnet community hall, a registration spot for those fleeing their homes, said he was told his home near Nopiming Provincial Park is likely still standing.

But he said a lack of additional information has been upsetting.

“I could see the flames across the road and the smoke,” Martens recalled of leaving the area.

“It looked like a nuclear bomb went off.”

Rain was in the forecast, and officials hoped some residents might be allowed back in the evacuation zone north of the town.

Officials are working to provide residents with timely information on when they can return, said Loren Schinkel, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet.

“We’re working collaboratively together to really get some of the restrictions lifted on the evacuation areas,” he said.

“We’re hoping Mother Nature will assist us with some rain.”

There have been about 80 wildfires in Manitoba so far this season, nearly double the average for this time of year.

— With files from Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg and Fakiha Baig in Edmonton

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2025.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press