Two combined fires are still burning about 35 kilometres north of Flin Flon, but the complex is burning further into the bush.
The Richard and WE050 fires, both of which were reported last month and which have combined into one larger fire complex, are still burning as of press time directly north of Flin Flon. However, almost no recent hotspots have been reported with the fire in the past six days according to the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) and the few hotspots reported are burning well north of Flin Flon.
When combined, according to Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS), the fires have burned about 16,600 hectares of land, most of which has happened in the past two weeks.
The Manitoba portion of the blaze, the WE050 fire, is the only fire in the province considered by Manitoba Wildfire Service as “out of control” as of August 31. This comes despite the Manitoba portion being considered “under control” for almost a week earlier this month before new hotspots were found and the fire was downgraded.
The fire was first reported July 17 following an intense electrical storm hit northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The fire is believed to be naturally caused, started by a stray lightning bolt.
No reports of injuries or property damage have been made in connection to the fire complex.
Elsewhere, the fire that threatened Pukatawagan earlier this year is mostly controlled and has not grown in weeks. The WE026 fire, which required community residents to be evacuated elsewhere for weeks this summer, has not seen growth or new hotspots in weeks, according to FIRMS.
The fire is current considered by Manitoba Wildfire Services to be “monitored”, along with a second and third fire, the WE019 fire to the southeast and the NO026 fire to the northwest. Between the three blazes, about 110,000 hectares of land has been burned, but there are no reports of injuries as of press time.
