Wildfire Update: Crews Make Progress on Fires Near Thompson and Leaf Rapids
The Manitoba Wildfire Service reports steady progress on Fire NO061 north of Thompson as crews begin work on the eastern flank of the fire. Firefighters continue to mop up hot spots along Provincial Road 280 and complete work around bulldozer fire guards. Once finished, these crews will shift to support the eastern containment efforts. A new guard is being constructed, with a controlled burn plan prepared for its use.
To the south, Fire NO005 near Cross Lake is now under the direction of a new incident management team. Suppression efforts remain focused on the northwest side and fingers of the fire near Wabowden and Highway 6.
Two new fires were reported in the Gillam area on Wednesday. One is currently 0.5 hectares and being actively fought. Crews and helicopters were dispatched to both sites.
Further north, Fire NO113 northwest of Leaf Rapids reached the community Wednesday evening, destroying some buildings and forcing a shift in firefighting efforts toward Turnbull Lake.
Weather in the Thompson area remains a critical factor. Temperatures today are expected to reach 23°C, with winds shifting from the west to the northwest and northeast by evening. Friday’s forecast includes 5–10 mm of rain and a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, while Saturday will bring stronger northwest winds gusting up to 35 km/h.
A member of the Canadian Association of Journalists, Emma returned to core news journalism in early 2025 following a distinguished 15-year career as a content publisher and digital strategist. This background allows her to combine traditional journalistic integrity with a modern, data-driven approach to storytelling.
Emma holds a First-Class Honours degree in Business Studies from the University of Ulster and a postgraduate diploma in Accounting, providing her with a unique analytical lens when covering municipal politics, community development, and the social issues shaping Thompson, MB.
Contact her at emma@thethompsonnews.ca.
