Forest fires move 'within yards' of Chemawawin Cree Nation, Easterville

Forest fires threateningChemawawinCree Nation in central Manitoba are crawling closer to homes and putting the "whole community" at risk.

"It came so fast. My place is still safe no homes damaged yet but the fire has come close, within or less than 100 yards," saidChief Clarence Easter."It is pretty scary. We're in crisis mode."

Chemawawin fire Chief Fred Ledouxsaid the smoke was so thick Friday morning that the sun was barely visible.

"It's a bunch of little fires here and there, and it's still going no big major flames but a lot of little fires here and there in the forest," Ledoux said.

Some of the fires are "within yards of the community," making for a stressful situation, he said.

"If the fire picks up, the whole community can be at risk because the houses are very, very tight; they're close toeachother. If one starts, it's hard to control the other ones starting."

• Easterville, Chemawawin Cree Nation forest fire evacuees arrive in Winnipeg

Some 2,000people fromChemawawinwere forced out and bused to Winnipeg Thursday as forest fires got to within a half-kilometre of the First Nation, located aboutabout 400 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The abutting tiny community ofEastervillehas also been evacuated, with all 70 residents going to The Pas.

Ledouxsaidfour buses are on standby to get the remainingpeople out of Chemawawin, if it comes to that.

"I'm guessing there's roughly 200 people still in their homes. I don't know if they're refusing to be evacuated or they just don't want to leave, butlocal volunteers have been going door-to-door, encouraging them to leave," he said.

Easter, who is amongthose now in Winnipeg, said he is trying to stress to those who are still in Chemawawinthat it is urgent for them to leave.

"It is unsafe. I don't want to take a chance of someone getting hurt or injured. I don'twant to take that chance," he said.

Easter, who had to leave because the smoke is making his asthma flareup,said he is concerned for those with medical issues people who arestill in the community and the evacuees.

"I am worried about people who need dialysis, those who are asthmatic and those who are diabetic. Some just left and forgot their insulin."

The federal Indigenous and Northern Affairs Department says it is providing funding to the Manitoba government to fight forest fires on reserve lands, and the Canadian Red Cross is working with the First Nation to manage the evacuation.

The Red Cross evacuees have been placed in four Winnipeg hotels and given meal vouchers, but many left with little else but the clothes they had on

There are10RCMPofficers, four Red Crossvolunteersand 30 to 50 community volunteers inthe area to help those who stayed behind.

The Manitoba government said on Friday thesize of the fire is estimated at 350 hectares and crews have held it to the edge of the community with two water bombers, four bulldozers and seven ground crews.

There are noofficial reports of losses to buildings or infrastructure at this time, although Easter said on Thursday that at least one home was destroyed.

A total of 119 wildfires have been recorded to date in the province.The average for this date is 236, according to the government.

Nineteen new wildfires, all started by lightning, were reported on Thursday nine in Leaf Rapids, four in Lynn Lake, two in Wabowden, three in Gillam and one in Oxford House.