Mayor of Flin Flon, Man., says fierce winds may cause wildfire to hit his city

By Canadian Press on May 30, 2025.

WINNIPEG — The mayor of Flin Flon, Man., says fierce, shifting winds are threatening to propel a nearby raging wildfire into the city and begin burning structures.

George Fontaine says the situation is, in his words, “looking very ugly” and that if they don’t get some help the fire will begin taking chunks out of the city of 5,000.

All residents of the remote northwestern municipality were ordered out earlier this week ahead of a wildfire that began over the boundary in Saskatchewan but is now menacing Flin Flon on its northern perimeter.

The city has directed all remaining residents to be out before noon, with buses taking those who don’t have shelter to Winnipeg.

Winnipeg has opened up public buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees and conventiongoers.

Manitoba is having one of its worst fire years in recent memory, with blazes forcing about 17,000 people from their homes, most of them in the remote north.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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