| Comments | Manitoba, April-May 1999. There were 65 fires burning in the province. The 1200 residents of Cross Lake were forced to flee their homes on April 29, when a Forest fire came within 300 metres of the town. The majority of residents were evacuated to the nearby towns of Thompson and Norway House. On May 3, 600 residents of three small communities clustered on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg (Seymourville, Hollow Water First Nation and Manigotagan), were evacuated to the nearby town of Bissett to avoid the oncoming Forest fire which came within four kilometres of the communities. The fire covered 52 sq. km. and it took about 500 firefighters, 30 helicopters and five water bombers to battle the blaze. |