ManitobaAfter helping over 1,500 people escape wildfire near Garden Hill First Nation, the Canadian military says it’s winding down its wildfire assistance efforts in northeastern Manitoba.Over 1,500 people evacuated from Garden Hill in the last weekCBC News · Posted: Jul 16, 2025 2:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: 36 minutes agoThe Royal Canadian Air Force transports people from Garden Hill First Nation to Winnipeg on Thursday. (Cpl. Luke Barrie/Canadian Armed Forces)After helping over 1,500 people escape a wildfire near Garden Hill Anisininew Nation, the Canadian military is ending its wildfire evacuation efforts in northeastern Manitoba.Manitoba is experiencing its worst wildfire season in 30 years and more than 10,000 square kilometres of land has burned. Fires remain out of control near evacuated communities, including Garden Hill, Lynn Lake, Marcel Colomb First Nation and Leaf Rapids.A week ago, a full evacuation was ordered for Garden Hill due to a wildfire that continues to threaten the community of more than 4,500 people on the north shore of Island Lake, about 475 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. Management of wildfire evacuation efforts in Garden Hill were again within the province’s capability as of 7:30 p.m. CT Monday, the Department of National Defence said in a news release on Wednesday morning.The conditions also met the threshold for the military’s personnel and equipment to return to their home units, the release said.Over 1,500 people were evacuated from Garden Hill by the Armed Forces since July 9, the Department of National Defence said.The number of military personnel involved fluctuated, but over 60 Canadian Armed Forces members were deployed to directly support the operation at its peak, the Department of National Defence said. Four Hercules aircraft were also used at the height of the operation.In addition to air crews, the military personnel involved included teams on the ground, such as a ground control and liaison team, a command team and logistical support.Helicopters bucketing near ThompsonMeanwhile, helicopters are dropping buckets of water on a wildfire outside northern Manitoba’s largest city.In a Wednesday update posted to Facebook, the City of Thompson said helicopters are bucketing at a wildfire just north of the city, ahead of ground crews working to prevent the fire from spreading.Fire crews are also fighting hot spots accessible via Provincial Road 280, and more helicopters are bucketing hot spots on the east side of the fire.Bulldozers have spent the last two days completing another fire guard north of the Thompson Regional Airport, the city said.An Australian incident management team will oversee the emergency response for the fire burning north of Thompson for “the next little while,” the city said.On Friday, the municipality posted a pre-alert notice on Facebook, saying residents should begin packing essentials so they’re ready to go if an evacuation order is made for the city, which is a hub for many services in northern Manitoba.That pre-alert notice remains in effect, the municipality said Wednesday.
Canadian military ends wildfire operation in Garden Hill Anisininew Nation
