Manitoba’s wildfire season is not expected to be as intense as last year’s, according to an interim report calling on the province to improve its fire management and emergency communications.

The report recapping last year’s fire season says the province was as prepared as it could have been in 2025. Enhancing communication and ensuring emergency resources are readily available will be this year’s priorities, said the minister of transportation and infrastructure, Lisa Naylor.

In 2025, the “One Manitoba” approach to wildfires was formed when local and First Nation governments united with provincial, federal and out-of-province resources for emergency management.

To assist with these efforts the MB Ready app and website were created. The app sends emergency alerts and provides updated information on hazardous situations. It was developed last May in response to the state of emergency as communities provincewide felt the effects.

“(The 2025 wildfire season) revealed gaps in Manitoba’s northern infrastructure and in the evacuation response,” said Shirley Ducharme, the acting grad chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

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“Hundreds of people from my nation, and nearby Leaf Rapids, were forced to evacuate from the heavy smoke. We lost power in early August and relied on (a) patchwork of generators to keep our nursing station operational and our homes running. We were without power for 64 days, I believe.”

Extreme fire behaviour caused a strain on resources in 2025, Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie said.

“We’re not anticipating the fire season from last year to repeat itself, but we’re also preparing for the (situation) that it does,” according to the resource minister.

This year’s less urgent fire forecast will allow the province to shift and focus on expanding its firefighting capacity, he added.

Manitoba spent $1.1 million advancing its aerial fire services.

“Nineteen firefighters (were added) to the system, but also, significantly, last year (the province was) training up 315 emergency firefighters that were made up of First Nations citizens (and) municipal members all across the province,” said Bushie.

Three new initial attack crews were formed. In addition to a new fire base went in the Thompson area, and $1.2 million being used to upgrade for the Manitoba Wildfire Service’s fire mapping system, the province said.

A complete wildfire after action review on 2025 will be ready in fall, according to the province.

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