Hundreds are crowded in a school gym in Little Grand Rapids waiting to be flown to safety as a fire nearly twice the size of Winnipeg rages toward the community and nearby Pauingassi First Nation.
The Red Cross, members of Canadian Armed Forces and Indigenous Services Canada are evacuating members of the eastern Manitoba communities Wednesday as wildfires in tinder-dry conditions continue to threaten several Indigenous communities.
"Right now it's completely white out here. The smoke is very thick," said Theresa Eischen, a teacher in Little Grand Rapids who was among the people awaiting evacuation in the gym.
"What we've heard from the RCMP is that the planes aren't able to land."
Pauingassi officials called an evacuation overnight due to a wildfire moving toward the community from Little Grand Rapids, which is about 265 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.
Red Cross spokesperson Jason Small said planes full of evacuees took off from Little Grand Rapids just before noon CT and headed to Winnipeg, but heavy smoke caused delays in the morning.
The 20,000-hectare fire had nearly doubled in size in the span of days and forced about 60 vulnerable Little Grand Rapids residents to leave Tuesday night for Winnipeg. Crews are still working to evacuate the remaining 800 people.
The Manitoba government said there are reports of fires destroying homes in Little Grand Rapids but could not confirm how many were affected.
Four Interlake and eastern Manitoba First Nations have been evacuated in recent days, including Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, more than 400 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg along the shores of the northern basin of Lake Winnipegosis.
Ontario sent 80 firefighters with another 40 expected this week, while up to four waterbombers from Quebec are expected in Manitoba by the end of the day Wednesday.
"We're working very closely with the leadership of all the First Nations just to make sure that the people who are being evacuated have what they need, and that we can get everybody out as quickly and safely as possible," said Small.
Burn bans remain in effect for much of south, central, eastern and western Manitoba as some areas are in the grips of one of the driest springs in years.
There have been 166 wildfires in Manitoba this spring; the average for this time of year is 100.
Sapotaweyak went from a partial to a full evacuation between Sunday and early this week. More than 660 evacuees are staying in hotels in Brandon, Swan River and The Pas, said Small, and that number is expected to go up.
The evacuation order remains in place, and the only people left are helping with the emergency response and firefighting efforts, said Small.
Southeast of Sapotaweyak, an evacuation order was lifted for Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation (also known as Jackhead), 225 kilometres north of Winnipeg, and the surrounding area. A small number of people stayed in Winnipeg overnight but will head home Wednesday, Small said.
Two homes were evacuated and school closures remain in effect in Ashern and the rural municipalities of West Interlake and Grahamdale, where states of emergency were declared Monday. Ashern is about 170 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg in the Interlake area.
Fires in the area totalled about 11,000 hectares (about one-quarter the size of Winnipeg) as of Wednesday, the Manitoba government said.
Kyla Klatt, emergency co-ordinator for Grahamdale, said Highway 6 is closed as fires in the area are not yet under control.
She said people should stay out of the area.
"They will not be let through, and please, no sightseers," she said. "They just get in the way of our firefighters doing their job."
The Red Cross doesn't accept clothing or food donations for fire evacuees, but Small welcomed anyone who wants to help to make financial donations online for future disaster relief and evacuation efforts.
"We just ask people, we know that they've got good hearts, but we are not taking donations of goods at this time," he said, encouraging people to sign up to volunteer online.
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