Red Lake airport on standby as Manitoba forest fires force evacuations

The Red Lake airport was on standby this week, as it waited to accommodate evacuees from two Manitoba Indigenous communities due to forest fires in the province.

Red Lake CAO Mark Vermette said more than 150 evacuees were flown from Pauingassi First Nation and Little Grand Rapids on Wednesday and Thursday. They were then flown to Winnipeg.

"We're accommodating folks with water, sandwiches, coffee, juices for the kids," Vermette said Thursday. "So we just try to make it as comfortable as possible for these folks."

• Evacuations continue as growing fire forces airlift of hundreds from eastern Manitoba First Nations

Paramedics were also on-scene in case any of the evacuees were in need of medical attention, Vermette said.

He said more evacuees were expected later Thursday, but no numbers had been confirmed.

"We'll continue to be here until we're told otherwise," he said. "