News and Reports

vacuated areas of Lac du Bonnet are slowly repopulating in the wake of an out-of-control wildfire that's now contained after leaving a path of destruction that includes two lives lost.

"Yesterday afternoon we managed to get people back into the largest area there, some 650 residents," said Loren Schinkel, reeve for the rural municipality, northeast of Winnipeg, where 850 to 1,000 people were forced to leave shortly after the fire began May 13.

Emergency officials have been allowing select areas of the community's evacuation zone to return since last week, some on Wednesday night, some Thursday, a few more Sunday and again more on Monday.

It's been a graduated process as the fire's been attacked and contained, Schinkel said on Tuesday.

Officials also met Monday with residents in the east Wendigo Road area where the fire began and 28 cottages and homes were lost.

Sue and Richard Nowell died there after being trapped by the fire on May 13. Lac du Bonnet MLA Wayne Ewasko said at the legislature Tuesday the couple had come back to their home attempting to rescue their pet, but were "overtaken by the fast-moving flames." Ewasko said their final moments were "filled with love and selflessness."