Northern Authority Leads Emergency Response for Families Affected by Wildfires in Northern Manitoba

June 4, 2025

As wildfires continue to sweep across northern Manitoba, the Northern Authority - under the leadership of CEO Ron Monias - is standing firmly with the children, families, and communities we serve. In line with the commitment made in the CEO's public statement, our team has mobilized quickly, compassionately, and without pause to respond to the needs of those displaced by this growing emergency.

Since the start of the crisis, our staff have been working tirelessly - beyond routine responsibilities - to ensure that families affected by the fires receive the care and support they urgently need. We have not taken a break and remain fully committed to standing with our people until the very end. Whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, we will be there.

Northern Authority chartered two school buses to help safely transport evacuees in Winnipeg and also arranged a charter flight to Norway House Cree Nation to deliver emergency supplies and evacuate families and children from our agencies - KSMA and NIKAN - to Winnipeg.

Once in Winnipeg, our support has been hands-on and continuous. Northern Authority staff have been stationed at multiple evacuation shelters to assist families with everything from registering with the Red Cross to helping them resettle into temporary accommodations. We have also provided airport pickup and drop-off, ensuring evacuees are met with care, respect, and clear guidance at every step.

We prepared and served fresh sandwiches, juice, and fruit for hundreds of evacuees. We extend our thanks to staff from the Southern First Nations Network of Care who came to support us as we worked to prepare food for affected families. Our teams also distributed essential supplies, including baby care items like strollers, playpens, bottles, and formula; sleeping gear such as pillows, bedding, cots, and air mattresses; and hygiene products including towels, feminine items, and other personal care necessities.

To meet basic needs across the city, the Northern Authority has donated food, water, snacks, and other critical supplies to numerous shelters in Winnipeg - making sure no one is left behind.

This is more than a response; it is a reflection of who we are. We are proud to stand beside other organizations who, like us, are committed to serving our people with compassion, urgency, and respect in this difficult time.

To all staff, volunteers, and partner organizations who have supported this effort - we thank you. Your dedication has brought comfort, safety, and dignity to our families when they needed it most.

The Northern Authority remains fully committed. We will continue to walk with our communities through this crisis - shoulder to shoulder - until every family is safely back home.

See more photos in our Photo albums page

 

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