Manitoba Fire Victims Seek Shelter in Niagara Falls Amid Wildfire Crisis

Until just two weeks ago, Tyrone Caribou and his five children shared a quiet life on their remote First Nation reserve in northern Manitoba. That routine was abruptly shattered as raging wildfires swept across the Prairies, forcing the family—and thousands of others—to flee under skies thick with smoke. Today, Caribou’s family is split between two provinces, caught up in an evacuation effort that has scattered loved ones hundreds of kilometers apart.

Caribou, who suffers from asthma, and his 15-year-old daughter Rosa made their way to Niagara Falls, Ontario after health concerns forced him to leave their home. His other children remain in Thompson, Manitoba—three with relatives and one with her boyfriend. “We’re displaced all over. We got out as soon as we could,” Caribou said outside the downtown hotel where he’s now staying with Rosa, reflecting on the ordeal of leaving Pukatawagan, part of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation.

This is not the first time the family has faced such turmoil; they were also forced out during wildfires in 2022. But that time, Caribou’s wife—the “glue” of the family, as he described her—was there to keep everyone together. Now, with her gone, maintaining unity has proven more challenging, especially as the family is stretched across provinces and coping with the uncertainty of returning home.

The evacuation was harrowing. Rosa recounted how she and her father boarded a small plane at the local airport in Pukatawagan, barely escaping before the airport closed due to the approaching blaze. Her siblings waited at a youth centre until a helicopter could transport them to safety. Peering out the aircraft window, Rosa described the landscape below: “There was a lot of burnt trees and a lot of smoke. It was very emotional… not knowing if you’re going to be able to go back home.”

They are just two among approximately 2,000 Manitobans now temporarily housed in hotels near the iconic Horseshoe Falls, with hundreds more evacuees expected in the coming days. The influx comes as more than 18,000 residents have been displaced in Manitoba since last week alone, affecting communities from Flin Flon to multiple First Nations reserves. Some residents from Pimicikamak Cree Nation have also made the long journey east through the evacuation operation.

For many, the trauma of losing homes—or the fear of returning to nothing—is still raw. Graham Colomb, another evacuee from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, was airlifted out by helicopter, and the devastation visible from the sky left him heartbroken. “I was devastated, man, devastated seeing all that go up in flames. It was hard to see,” he said.

Despite experiencing relief at the hospitality and support offered in Niagara Falls—where meals, medical care, and lodging are provided—the uncertainty remains daunting. “It’s pretty good, everything’s provided for us,” said one evacuee. Still, questions about what will be left when they return are ever-present. “What I’m worried about is when we go back, I’m hoping that we still have a roof,” Colomb added.

Others, like Kelly Ouskun and his family of six, had to leave everything behind without knowing what might remain. Their journey included a long drive from Split Lake to Thompson before flying east. Ouskun described heavy smoke and fire along the highway that left him physically ill. “It made me feel a little off and … my eyes were hurting, feel it in the chest, and I just seen a lot of our reserve area burned,” he said, watching his children play at the evacuation centre.

Still, amid the displacement, some families are striving to find moments of respite. For many, this marks their first visit to Niagara Falls—a renowned tourist destination that offers a brief distraction from their worries. Adolphe Thomas, who fled with his family from Cross Lake, visited the falls at night and was amazed by the sight. “Awesome,” he described the illuminated cascades.

But even the excitement of new experiences cannot outweigh the longing for home. For Caribou and Rosa, each day in Niagara Falls brings a mix of wonder and anxiety. Rosa said seeing the rainbow arcing over the famed falls was unforgettable. “I really like it. There’s lots out here to experience,” she said, her spirits momentarily lifted.

Her father, on the other hand, counts each day until the possibility of returning and reuniting the family. “I’m very worried,” Caribou admitted. “…I miss Pukatawagan, that is our home. It feels different here.”