Hundreds of wildfire evacuees who were allowed to carry only one bag with them as they scrambled to get out of northern Manitoba are in need of donations, as it could be weeks before they can go back home.
Roughly 240 evacuees from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, also known as Pukatawagan, have been sheltering at the Winnipeg Soccer Federation North complex on Leila Avenue, along with about 400 people from Pimicikamak Cree Nation.
Thousands of people in both northern Manitoba communities were put under mandatory evacuation orders last week after separate out-of-control wildfires moved closer to the First Nations.
Mary Sylvia Caribou, an emergency measures co-ordinator with Pukatawagan, said each evacuee was only allowed to bring one bag with them from their homes, and donations are needed.
“There’s lots of babies, and we need more stuff like socks, pampers and milk. We don’t have much stuff for them,” Caribou said. …