A Canadian prairie city virtually deserted as fires rage and thousands more evacuees expected

AP News ^ | Updated 6:07 PM CDT, May 30, 2025 | Associated Press

[E. Pluribus Unum]

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Canadian prairie city of Flin Flon was virtually deserted and more evacuees were expected, Manitoba’s premier said Friday, as wildfires raged in the province.

Premier Wab Kinew told a news conference that the mayor, councilors, health-care staff and other officials have had to depart Flin Flon, a city of 5,000 people.

“The only folks remaining on the ground are firefighters and folks in the office of the fire commissioner and RCMP, who are there to battle the blaze,” Kinew said.

“We do expect some very, very challenging conditions in Flin Flon and in the surrounding community.”

He added: “Pray for rain.”

The evacuees are among 17,000 people reported so far to have left their homes due to a number of wildfires burning in remote regions from Manitoba’s northwest to the southeast.

Kinew said as the fires grow, thousands more evacuees can be expected and that communities like Winnipeg, Thompson and The Pas have already stepped up to help provide food and shelter.

He said he spoke with some evacuees in Winnipeg.

”(It’s) very scary, very tiring, long days for people who’ve been on the road and in the air to find their way to safety,” he said.

Kinew said outside help has arrived, including 125 firefighters from the United States.

He said Canadian Armed Forces personnel are flying out evacuees from the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, north of Flin Flon.

Kinew said the airport near Mathias Colomb, also known as Pukatawagan, has not been damaged by the fire.

Earlier on Friday, Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine said fierce winds were threatening to breach the city limits and begin burning structures in the city located nearly 400 miles (645 kilometers) northwest of the provincial capital of Winnipeg.

All residents, along with 1,000 more in the surrounding area, have had to leave. “Unless we get...

[frank ballenger]

Doesn’t “depart Flin Flon” sound phony?

Like a Godzilla IV sequel where “pray for rain” was answered by school girls singing in unison and Godzilla arriving and then urinating on the fires to quickly put them out?

[DoodleBob]

Two things: Flon Flon is the home town of Flyers great, Bobby Clarke.

Two: is it me or has Canada had a nasty wildfire that ultimately fouls American air quality in each of the past two summers?

[jjotto]

Oh no! There goes some fishing trips!

[Apparatchik]

Wait, where is Karen Bass right now?

[lightman]

It is not just you.

https://fire.airnow.gov

[SaveFerris]

Wow 😲

[Dr. Sivana]

Two: is it me or has Canada had a nasty wildfire that ultimately fouls American air quality in each of the past two summers?

Flin Flon is pretty far north, so Manitoba and some of Saskatchewan will get it before North Dakota.

The town name is based on a character in a 1905 fantasy mining novel.

[libertarian66]

My wife was born and raised in Flin Flon. She’s definitely saddened, this looks like a repeat of what happened to Jasper and Red Deer in Alberta.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Dog River needs to stay vigilant.

[Norski]

Is this town sitting on a lithium deposit?

[HartleyMBaldwin]

The town name is based on a character in a 1905 fantasy mining novel.

I just found out that Al Capp designed the town's statue of that character.

[Greg123456]

I wonder who set the fires so they can blame climate change?

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Volcanogenic massive sulfide. Mostly copper and zinc mined, some gold and silver.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I wonder who set the fires so they can blame climate change?

Good question.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/17/climate/canada-conspiracy-theorist-arson-wildfires-intl/index.html

[wrcase]

It’s Canada, they’ll blame President Trump.

[No name given]

Most likely a commie antifa agitator.

[Veto!]

“The town name is based on a character in a 1905 fantasy mining novel.”

Thanks, I was wondering about that. Flin Flon sounds more like a dog shampoo for poodles.

[rxh4n1]

Flin Flon? These guys missed it:

There’s a province up in Canada that’s right next door to ours.
It’s called Saskatchewan.
And, uh, in that province there’s a small town, uh, where nothing much ever happens, called Saskatoon.
This is a tune about that town.
This is called “Runnin’ Back To Saskatoon”.

I been hangin’ around gas stations
I been learnin’ ‘bout tires
I been talkin’ to grease monkeys
I been workin’ on cars

Moose Jaw saw a few, Moosomin too
Runnin’ back to Saskatoon
Red Deer, Terrace and a Medicine Hat
Sing another prairie tune
Sing another prairie tune

I been hangin’ around libraries
I been learnin’ ‘bout books
I been talkin’ to play writers
I been workin’ on words, phrases

Moose Jaw saw a few, Moosomin too
Runnin’ back to Saskatoon
Red Deer, Terrace and a Medicine Hat
Sing another prairie tune
Sing another prairie tune

I been hangin’ around hospitals
I been learnin’ ‘bout dyin’
I been talkin’ to heart doctors
I been workin’ on disease

Moose Jaw saw a few, Moosomin too
Runnin’ back to Saskatoon
Red Deer, Terrace and a Medicine Hat
Sing another prairie tune
Sing another prairie tune

This tune is home grown
Don’t come from Hong Kong
This tune is home grown
Don’t come from Hong Kong

I been hangin’ around grain elevators
I been learnin’ ‘bout food
I been talkin’ to soil farmers
I been workin’ on land

Moose Jaw saw a few, Moosomin too
Runnin’ back to Saskatoon
Red Deer, Terrace and a Medicine Hat
Sing another prairie tune
Sing another prairie tune

I been hangin’ around camera stores
I been learnin’ ‘bout sight
I been talkin’ to film makers
I been workin’ on eyes

Moose Jaw saw a few, Moosomin too
Runnin’ back to Saskatoon
Red Deer, Terrace and a Medicine Hat
Sing another prairie tune
Sing another prairie tune

This tune is home grown
Don’t come from Hong Kong
This tune is home grown
Don’t come from Hong Kong

[rottweiller_inc]

I wonder if this is still the same fire from last year or is this the new reality for Canada, new wildfires every year.