Manitoba wildfires: Leaf Rapids declares local state of emergency [Video]

A Manitoba town has declared a state of local emergency as a forest fire burns close to the community.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the Town of Leaf Rapids said it’s organizing evacuations to Thompson as the fire is about eight kilometres away and near the hydro line.

It added that the wind direction is expected to change, which will have an impact on the community’s air quality.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued a special air quality statement for the area, saying the smoke from the forest fires in the area is causing elevated air pollution.

The weather agency said the smoke is expected to continue on Tuesday as dry conditions in the area have helped the fires remain active.

The smoke plume is expected to shift north on Tuesday night due to southerly winds from a low-pressure system coming into the area.

Manitoba 511 said …