WINNIPEG — Close to 13,000 people in Manitoba were out of their homes Thursday due to wildfires, but hundreds were finding space in hotels rather than in congregate shelters, the province said.
Since Monday, officials said they've found spots for 705 more people in hotels, while others are staying with family and friends or in one of four shelters in Winnipeg.
As of Wednesday night, there were about 7,000 evacuees in hotel rooms and about 1,200 in shelters, a government spokesperson said.
Ten hotels were added to a list of 58 across the province already offering rooms.
"We continue to work on that piece diligently," said Christine Stevens with the province's emergency management organization.
"Every single day, we're working to bring more hotels online that are a good fit for the needs of the community members that have been evacuated."
Manitoba is in a second round of fire evacuations in what has been its worst fire season in decades. At the height of evacuations in June, there were 21,000 people out of their homes.
The province has fielded complaints and calls from evacuees and various First Nations organizations to free up more hotel spaces, after elders and families were forced to stay in shelters and some were flown to hotels in Ontario.
The process to determine who is placed in a hotel first is a complex one, said Stevens. Medical needs, mobility, proximity to services and access to meals all play a role.
"What we're looking to do is match hotel availability with the supports that people need," she said.
There were 118 active wildfires across the province, with the northeast region seeing the most extreme blazes.
Last week, fires forced thousands out of Garden Hill First Nation, northeast of Winnipeg in the Island Lake region. Officials said crews had so far managed to keep the flames away from any buildings.
Nearby, on the remote Stevenson Island, 10 people were expected to be sent out with five remaining, as fires threaten the area.
The province wasn't expecting more evacuations in the coming days, despite fire activity in the northeast.
"At this time, none of those fires pose a threat to the communities," said Kristin Hayward with the wildfire service.
Some electricity infrastructure was damaged near the evacuated community of Lynn Lake, but power there remains on.
Firefighters also managed to keep flames at bay near Thompson, a city of 13,000.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press
