Flin Flon residents unsure what they'll come home to once evacuation order lifts
'I'm kind of nervous to see what it's going to look like,' evacuee says 3 weeks after wildfire led to exodus
Some Flin Flon residents are having mixed feelings after learning they will soon be allowed back home, saying they're nervous about what state they will find the city in nearly a month after a wildfire forced them out.
Officials with the northwestern Manitoba city announced Thursday evening they're gearing up to lift the evacuation order on Wednesday at 9 a.m. CT.
READ MORE: The Weather Network's Wildfire hub
About 5,100 Flin Flon residents are expected to begin to journey home then, 28 days after the order was put in place.
"I'm kind of nervous to see what it's going to look like," said Brett Holland. The Flin Flon evacuee said he's been busking around Winnipeg with a rental guitar to keep his mind off the fire and also keep his daughter busy.
"We got pictures and we saw that the fire map.… It looks like it did a lot of damage," Holland said. "I've seen some videos, but I'm sure it'll hit once we get up there."
The fire near Flin Flon was about 370,780 hectares as of the province's latest fire bulletin Thursday. (Government of Manitoba)
The fire near Flin Flon was about 370,780 hectares in size as of Friday's wildfire bulletin. A fire south of the city near Bakers Narrows Provincial Park was about 7,200 hectares.
Holland said he's bracing for changes.
"We're big into hiking and kayaking and fishing," he said. "I saw some videos where the fire was right under hiking trails. So I'm kind of worried about, you know, everything that we used to enjoy doing just being gone."
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'For us to sort of still be standing is miraculous'
The Flin Flon re-entry will go ahead so long as there is no unexpected fire behaviour and the plan to get essential services working goes smoothly, officials said Thursday.
Flin Flon Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas-Funk warned residents health-care services will be limited and that there will be a lack of supplies at grocery stores.
Noelle Drimmie said there's a lot of uncertainty as she looks to plan out the days ahead — including the long drive home with two small children.
"We don't know what's happening with daycare currently," she said. "There's going to be a lot of things just to work on.… We're going to have to clean. We've had power outages, right? So, you know, the fridges and the freezers and, you know, we left a bunch of bananas on the counter."
Estimated Manitoba wildfire boundaries. (Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (Graeme Bruce/CBC))
On Friday, Saskatchewan officials announced residents of the town of Creighton — which is adjacent to Flin Flon — as well as nearby Denare Beach will also be allowed to go home, starting Sunday morning.
Drimmie said some of her friends living on the Saskatchewan side of the border have lost their homes.
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"It's astounding to see … the devastation that has surrounded the town," Drimmie said. "For us to sort of still be standing is miraculous in a lot of ways, but again, very devastating for the Saskatchewan side, and I know there's … cabins and things like that on the Manitoba side have been lost as well."
Thumbnail courtesy of the Government of Manitoba via CBC News.
This article was originally written by Arturo Chang and published for CBC News. It contains files from Rosanna Hempel.