ManitobaLeaf Rapids is evacuating all firefighters and essential workers after an out-of-control wildfire entered the northern community on Wednesday night.Wildfire burning northwest of town jumped Churchill River, spreading through community’s industrial areaCBC News · Posted: Jul 23, 2025 11:49 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoSmoke billows over Leaf Rapids, Man., earlier this month. The province’s wildfire map showed that a fire northwest of the town has grown to more than 2,500 hectares in size as of Tuesday, July 22, 2025. On Wednesday night, the town said it would start to evacuate all essential workers, including firefighters, after the wildfire jumped the Churchill River and entered the community. (Shirley Dysart)Leaf Rapids is evacuating all firefighters and essential workers after an out-of-control wildfire entered the northern community on Wednesday night. In a statement posted to Facebook at 8:15 p.m., the town’s administration said the wildfire burning northwest of the town jumped the Churchill River and began spreading through the community’s industrial area. The province’s wildfire map showed that fire was more than 2,500 hectares in size as of Tuesday. It is the smallest of the three major wildfires surrounding the community. Another fire southwest of the community has grown to more than 30,300 hectares, while a wildfire to the east has burned 15,500 hectares as of Tuesday, the province’s data showed. All three wildfires are out of control. The town said all personnel, including firefighters were evacuating the community due to wildfire spread and thick smoke. Officials said in the post that firefighters may not be returning to the community for some time. “Hope for the best, and if nothing else be thankful everyone got out safely,” the statement said. Leaf Rapids, located about 155 kilometres northwest of Thompson, declared a state of emergency on July 7. The town told its 300 residents they had to leave within 24 hours. Ervin Bighetty has been staying in a Winnipeg hotel alongside his family since they were evacuated two weeks ago. The former mayor told CBC News he was sad to see that firefighters would start leaving the community on Wednesday night. He said returning to Leaf Rapids doesn’t seem realistic right now. “I don’t know when we’re going to go home, if we’re going to have a home to go to,” Bighetty said. “But what matters to me is that my family is safe. I know where they are, I can go down the hallway and go see them,” he said.
Firefighters flee Leaf Rapids as wildfire enters northern Manitoba community
