Evacuations complete in Manitoba town where crews are fighting to keep blaze at bay

Trees burned by wildfires in northern Manitoba are shown during a helicopter tour in the surrounding area of Flin Flon, Man. on Thursday, June 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Deal-Pool

LYNN LAKE — Additional firefighting crews are expected to arrive in a northwestern Manitoba town that was forced to evacuate over the weekend because of encroaching wildfires.

Firefighters have so far been able to keep the out-of-control blaze away from Lynn Lake, a gold-mining community located approximately 1,000 kilometres from Winnipeg, but the town says on social media that the fire is about four kilometres from its main power line.

The town says swampy terrain is expected to slow the spread of the fire in that direction.

It says the blaze has grown to span 70 square kilometres since Saturday, when the fire was measured at 50 square kilometres.

Emergency crews in town have also been helping with nearby evacuations on the Marcel Colomb First Nation, about 25 kilometres east of Lynn Lake.

The community ordered an evacuation for 110 of its members because it relies on the town for critical infrastructure and resources.

As of Sunday, there were 127 fires burning in the province, with 12 of them considered out-of-control.

The Canadian Press