A skeleton crew of emergency personnel and municipal officials have been staying behind in Flin Flon, but with a raging wildfire right on the doorstep, it’s time for everyone to clear out, the northern Manitoba city’s mayor says.
George Fontaine told Global Winnipeg that the last remaining people in the community as of Friday will be fleeing before it’s too late.
“We’ve been given the word that today is our evacuation day. Everybody will be leaving,” Fontaine said.
“The prognosis is not good for today, because the winds are predicted to be in the wrong direction and quite forceful, and the fire that they’re pushing is massive, so we need to get out of the way.”
Flin Flon residents were among the thousands across the province forced to evacuate earlier this week as the wildfire situation — which prompted the Manitoba government to declare a state of emergency — became more dire.
Fontaine said the streets of his city are empty, and the few residents who have chosen to stay behind are being urged to get out while they still can.
“We’ve been picking up stragglers as of even last night,” he said.
“I hope we’ve got everyone because once we drive away, whoever’s here … if they’ve decided not to heed it, there’s nothing we’re going to be able to do about that.”
Fontaine said surrounding communities have also been warned that a massive blaze is heading their way, and anyone who hasn’t already fled to safer parts of the province is urged to do so immediately, especially given a dearth of escape routes due to the fire.
“They’re in the path of potential disaster,” he said.
“We will be leaving very shortly. I don’t want to see any more flames — it is huge. We’ll just leave it up to the professionals … this is the crunch.”
