The situation of the forest fire has reached a desperate level in Flin Flon, man, where the mayor says that he already the few remaining people have told them that they leave because the winds are changing and there is nothing more than they can do.
George Fontaine said he expects the worst.
“We have seen a devastation throughout the country in different communities where this has happened, and there is a very, very high potential that will happen here,” Heather Hiscox told CBC in CBC Live Morning Live On Friday, referring to what happened in Jasper, Alta., Last summer.
“The forecast we are listening to is that the winds are going to change and return that fire to our community, and it could be very catastrophic if that happens,” he said. “It has a straight path here.”
The fire has 40,000 hectares of size and less than 400 meters from the edge of the city, said the spokesman for emergency measures of the city.
There is not even an option for a mitigation strategy, such as soaking structures with industrial sprinkle, said Fontaine.
“They have done what they can for the main things, as for our bulk fuel plants … but there is no equipment. Everything is running out [to fight fires in other places around the province]. There are none. “
Flin Flon, Man., Mayor George Fontaine says that the people of the community are asked to leave at noon on Friday while the forest fire threatens the community. “Everyone must have gone,” he said. “Then we will have to do what nature does.”
Water bombers have not been able to help, because it is too smoked to fly, said Fontaine.
“So, you know, everyone has to have gone, and then we will have to see what nature does,” he said. “Everyone is very afraid.”
The vast majority of the city of approximately 5,000 in the Northeast of Manitoba was clear on Wednesday. Some members of the City Council and some civic employees and emergency responders had remained to monitor things and give updates on social networks.
The winds had been favorable on Thursday, moving away the flames of the city, but that is about to change and everyone must leave today, said Fontaine.
“The wind is not ready to change later in the day, so it should give us time to leave. Once we move away, that’s all. I’m not sure when we can come back here, when or if,” he said.
“I don’t want to sweeten anything. I would love to return to … television with you at some point in the near future and say, Wow, we have dodged a bullet. But in this particular moment, you know, it is not seen at all at all.”
And there is only one way out for those who remain. The road west, on the other side of the border to Creighton, Sask., It is blocked by the fire, and Highway 10 to the Pas is also blocked by flame now.
The last route was the only one that the evacuees took Flin Flon on Thursday.
“So we have to go from where we are Snow Lake and then south to Grand Rapids and Winnipeg that way,” said Fontaine.
At this point, he does not know if someone in Flin Flon has decided to ignore evacuation orders and hiding. He urges anyone who may be doing that to get on the bus that is ready to remove the last people at 11 am CT.
“If not, they will be at the mercy of any nature that it brings,” he said.
“If this is how it is projected that I could go, we have seen the images of communities like Jasper, and there would be no place where to go.”
Are you an evacuation that needs help? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from any place in Manitoba or send an email to 211mb@findhelp.ca.
