Fire rages through the forest at the shore of Kisseynew Lake. (Tracy Wheeler-Anderson)An important road to a northern Manitoba community threatened by fire is being shut down.

Sherridon Road the main overland link to the small community of Sherridon, which has a population of about 100.

It is located 15 kilometers north of Cranberry Portage, which is under evacuation alert due to a massive forest fire burning is about 13 kilometres away.

The main highways in the area — Highway 10 and Highways 39 — both remain open.

The fire at Kisseynew Lake, between Cranberry Portage and Sherridon, had grown to about 40,000 hectares by noon Thursday — four times the size it was late Wednesday.

It was up to 45,000 hecatres by midday Friday but has not moved any closer to Cranberry Portage. Rather, it is going the other way, said Duane Feely, supervisor of aviation and field services with Manitoba Conservation.

Due to smoke, the campground at Bakers Narrows Provincial Park ha sbeen closed and parks staff are contacting customers in advance to cancel reservations and offer alternative arrangements for campgrounds, such as at Clearwater Lake Provincial Park, closer to The Pas.

Extremely dry conditions and gusting winds are fueling the blaze, which was spraked by a lightning strike, he said.

"Mother Nature is going to have to give us significant rains and once that happens we'll be able to get on the fire line and make some headway with the ground crews, heavy equipement, water bombers and helicopter operations," said Feely.

Close to 200 firefighters from Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Minnesota are battling a blaze that has forced the evacuation of Cormorant and put Cranberry Portage on alert. Close to 200 firefighters from Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Minnesota are there.

The Manitoba government has also requested 60 firefighters from the United States.

A health hazard caused by the thick smoke prompted the province on Wednesday to evacuate the village of Cormorant, about 70 kilometres southeast of Cranberry Portage.

Many of those who live in the tiny community have relocated to The Pas, about 100 kilometres south.

As well, about 200 people have voluntarily left Cranberry Portage, ahead of any evacuation order.

The Canadian Red Cross is urging everyone who has left Cranberry Portage to register with the agency.

That will enable relatives of the evacuees to know where they are, said spokesman Tony Zerucha.

"[Worried relatives] can contact the Red Cross and be matched up with where their loved ones are and gain some peace of mind from that," he said.

To register or find out about someone who is an evacuee, call 1-888-662-3211.