Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.
The premier will tour Flin Flon and The Pas, where wildfires caused by dry lightning have been burning since last week, prompting evacuations.
On Monday, the province said the fire burning near Flin Flon grew to 31,500 acres and caused 550 people from nearby Cranberry Portage to evacuate.
Kinew has pledged that the province will support people impacted by the fires.
“We recognize that this a very tough situation where people were forced to leave their homes, and anything that you need, we’re going to ensure it’s provided,” he told CTV News Winnipeg Monday.
Firefighters and water bombers have been working since the weekend to battle the blaze, but it will be a long fight, according to Earl Simmons, director of Manitoba Wildfire Service.
Simmons said the dry conditions in the area caused the fire to spread significantly, and it could be burning for a month.
