Manitoba firefighters gain ground on blazes, despite tinder-dry conditions
Homes safeguarded in Norway House, Sherridon
Last Updated: Friday, May 30, 2008 | 1:06 PM CT
CBC News
An aerial view shows the fire at Norway House on Thursday, seen from about 130 kilometres west of the northern Manitoba reserve. (CBC)Hundreds of firefighters continue to battle six major forest fires in northern areas of the Manitoba, four of them considered out of control.
The fires — all of them believed to be caused by human activity — cover a broad band stretching from the south of Lynn Lake in the northwest corner of the province, south to Norway House and east to the Island Lake reserve.
Tom Mirus, manager of Manitoba's fire conservation program, said dry conditions have made the fire situation in the province the worst it has been in five years.
"In some places in the bush, if you are walking on the moss or some of the grass …it's like walking on popcorn or cornflakes," he said. "We've got very dry conditions to start with, and no spring rains."
The community of Sherridon, north of Flin Flon, is considered under the most serious threat — but firefighters were able to beat back the flames in the town Thursday night, officials said Friday.
A couple of sheds were burned, but no homes were lost. Fire crews had been dousing houses with water to prevent them from catching fire and also set up sprinklers in the town to extinguish spot fires caused by floating embers.
Water bombers, helicopters and ground crews have been at work on the blaze, which forced 150 people from their homes earlier this week when fire threatened the only road out of the town.
'A very bad spring'
Meanwhile, a smaller fire on the Norway House First Nation has been contained, and about 1,000 people who had been forced from their homes on the reserve were allowed to return Thursday evening.
However, the community remains under a state of emergency.
"It's been a dry winter, and a dry spring. And it's very dangerous," said Nelson Scribe, 83, one of the band members who fled their homes for a makeshift emergency shelter on the reserve.
Conditions are so dry, any spark — from machinery to careless smoking — could ignite another blaze, he said.
The flames of a small spot fire consume tree branches in Norway House. (CBC)"When the leaves or the grass get ahold of that, and when the wind starts to blow — phew!" he said.
Fire officials agree.
"[It's] definitely a very bad spring for us — to have six major fires like this ongoing is very unusual," Mirus said.
Nearly 300 babies and people with health issues at St. Theresa Point and Wasagamack in northeastern Manitoba continue to wait for the all-clear to return; they were flown to Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie because of concerns about heavy smoke.
Firefighters are holding the north line of the fire in St. Theresa Point, but it's burning out of control south of the community.
In addition to the six major fires in northern Manitoba, 23 other fires are also burning across the province.
More than 300 firefighters, 17 helicopters and eight water bombers are at work on the fires. Ontario has provided 12 fire crews and two water bombers to support Manitoba's firefighting efforts.
The province has recorded 152 fires since the snow melted a few weeks ago, with more than 9,500 hectares of land consumed. Fire officials believe every one of this year's fires was caused by human activity, as opposed to lightning or unknown causes.
