Homes destroyed as large grass fire burns in Manitoba's Peguis First Nation
Several homes have been destroyed in Peguis First Nation as a large grass fire burned in the community on Sunday.
The chief and council in the First Nation — Manitoba's largest — have declared a state of emergency.
The blaze was burning in the southern part of the First Nation, about 190 kilometres north of Winnipeg, according to Peguis communications director Doug Thomas.
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RCMP were assisting with evacuations on Sunday while firefighters and water bombers worked to put the fire out.
Dysin Spence is doing his part to protect his grandparents' home by soaking down the property and land around it to make it less parched.
"I'm just really scared for my grandparents and our home and our belongings. We are right beside a bush and the bush is really dry," he said.
"I know a lot people lost all their belongings and their houses have burned down."
Several homes have been destroyed in Peguis First Nation as a large grass fire burned in the First Nation on Sunday. (Peguis First Nation/Facebook)
It is not known how many people have been forced out of their homes. No injuries have been reported.
Peguis First Nation posed on its Facebook page that the community hall has been opened to all evacuees.
"They told us to go to the … centre but I'm trying to save my house from getting on fire," Spence said, adding the fire is another hit to a community still reeling from other natural disasters.
It's almost exactly three years since historic flooding forced more than 1,000 people in Peguis to leave their homes and caused millions of dollars in damages. Some evacuees remained out of their houses for more than two years afterwards.
That flooding had followed two other flood evacuations in 2011 and 2014.
"This is really devastating for our community," Spence said about the latest situation. "I'm just really scared. Like I don't know what to do."
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Thumbnail courtesy submitted by Dysin Spence via CBC News.
The story was originally published for CBC News. With files from Josh Crabb and Lauren Scott