By The Canadian Press
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)
Residents of a town in northwestern Manitoba who spent much of last summer away from their homes because of wildfires have once again been ordered to leave.
Lynn Lake, a gold-mining community located more than 1,000 kilometres from Winnipeg, says on social media that many of its residents have safely left and that those remaining will be airlifted out over the weekend.
“We are pleased to report that every scheduled flight departed at full capacity, allowing more residents to safely evacuate the community,” a Facebook update from the town said on Saturday night.
The town of about 500 people posted a mandatory evacuation order on social media on Saturday morning.
The order said residents must leave due to a rapidly advancing wildfire and the imminent threat it poses to the community.
The Manitoba government’s website showed a wildfire near Lynn Lake was burning out of control across 16 square kilometres as of Friday.
Saturday night’s post from the town said the province had updated the size of the fire to 47 square kilometres and that it was just over 12 kilometres south of the community.
The post said firefighting efforts were still being challenged by rapidly changing weather, noting that shifting winds, heavy smoke, lightning, and thunder were significantly limiting aerial operations.
It said helicopters tried to make bucket drops on Saturday but were forced to withdraw due to poor visibility from smoke, and that more equipment and personnel were on their way to fight the fire.
The town’s post said RCMP have advised that all roads leading into and out of Lynn Lake have been closed. That included Highway 391, a stretch of which the Manitoba government renamed Tom Cochrane’s Life is a Highway 2016 in honour of the singer, whose hometown is Lynn Lake.
Lynn Lake was evacuated twice last year, in the spring and summer months, due to wildfires.
“To our residents—whether you have already evacuated or remain in Lynn Lake assisting with essential services—thank you for your continued patience, resilience, and support for one another,” the town’s post said.
