All 5,000 residents of Flin Flon ordered out due to approaching wildfire

All 5,000 residents of Flin Flon, Man., were ordered to flee south Wednesday ahead of a raging wildfire.

Residents were told on social media they should flee south with their essentials immediately.

“I can tell you everybody has to be out by midnight and that includes me,” Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine said in an interview.

“I’m busy packing a couple of things and everybody is getting as organized as we can.”

He said people plan to take Highway 10 as it’s the only route out.

“That ends up in Winnipeg so we’ll see what happens.”

Flin Flon is 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

Earlier Wednesday, it began sending hospital patients out of the city ahead of the fire, which is menacing the region from the north.

Evacuees were urged to stay with family and friends, and earlier in the day, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said public facilities, like rec centres, may be asked to open their doors to help out.

The fire began Monday across the boundary near Creighton, Sask., and has since exploded in size.

Crews struggled early on to contain the fire as water bombers were grounded due to a drone flying in the area.