Wildfire Service


To Report a Wildfire

1-800-782-0076 (toll-free)

This is to report a fire, not for local information.

 

Drone Safety Message

The airspace near wildfires is closed to all aircraft, including drones, except those involved in fighting fires.

If a drone is spotted near a wildfire, emergency response teams must ground their operations to avoid the risk of collision. This endangers the on-the-ground firefighters and nearby communities.

The Canadian Aviation Regulations state that only someone with permission can fly a drone within 9.3 kilometres (5NM) of a wildfire. If you break these rules, you could be subject to fines up to $25,000 or imprisonment for up to 18 months. Under Manitoba’s The Wildfires Act, you could be fined up to $100,000 or imprisoned for up to two years for impeding wildfire response.

Before flying a drone during the wildfire season, make sure there are no smoke plumes or active wildfires nearby. Check our current wildfire information and NAV Drone, which provides real-time access to Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) and restricted air space information.

Please consider sharing this printable poster to raise awareness in your community.

Do your part to keep our firefighters and the communities they serve safe – Don’t fly drones near wildfires.


The Wildfire Service is responsible for the prevention, detection and suppression of wildfires. The program manages all human and equipment resources needed for fighting wildfires in the province. Staff monitor weather patterns, lightning strikes, soil moisture and forest conditions to determine the probability and location of wildfires.

Manitoba's Wildfire Service works in close cooperation with other forest fire fighting agencies and jurisdictions. Equipment and other resources are shared through the Canadian Inter Agency Forest Fire Centre and the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact.

Current Wildfire Information

Collecting and sharing wildfire information enables residents and visitors to Manitoba to make safe work, travel, and recreational decisions throughout Manitoba's forested and wildland urban interface (WUI) areas. Current wildfire activity and hazard levels can be found in the links below.

Current Wildfire Weather Information

Manitoba's Wildfire Service operates 47 fire weather stations located throughout the province. It also utilizes weather data from the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC), Parks Canada, Manitoba Hydro, and Saskatchewan Wildfire Management. This information is used to predict and manage the occurrence and spread of wildfires. Fire weather information includes:

Archived Wildfire Information

Archived wildfire information is provided for your planning, research and operational needs. Whether you are planning a backcountry trip and require past wildfire locations, researching historical fire or weather events, or are a partner needing access to data, check the links below for relevant information.

Prevention / FireSmart

Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) is a term used in the wildfire community. It describes the areas where residential, industrial, or agricultural developments are located in a wildland setting with natural vegetation at risk of being impacted by wildfire.

Preventing and preparing for interface wildfires before they happen is one of the best ways to keep your community safe. FireSmart Canada® has developed a FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program to guide communities in assuming responsibility for their neighbourhood's and community member's safety by recognizing the wildfire issues and taking the initiative to reduce the hazards. Community cooperation in the implementation of FireSmart concepts is important to most effectively prepare for wildfire in the Wildland/Urban Interface.

FireSmart begins at home. Home and property owners can reduce their risk of wildfire impacts by implementing FireSmart recommendations on building materials and vegetation. Homes, out buildings, trees, shrubs and grasses are all fuel to a wildfire but proper cleaning, thinning, and spacing can help reduce the danger of devastating wildfire losses.

Visit www.FireSmartCanada.ca for more information on FireSmart: Protecting Your Community From Wildfire, or the FireSmart Canada Community Recognition Program. Other useful FireSmart prevention resources are listed below.

Fire Employment

The Wildfire Service is a seasonal employer of trained initial attack forest fire fighters at various locations throughout Manitoba. These employment opportunities would be of interest to both local residents of remote communities, as well as college/university students particularly those studying natural resource management. The major initial attack bases in the province that provide seasonal accommodations are Bissett (Eastern Region), Snow Lake (Northwest Region), and Paint Lake (Northeast Region). Smaller bases may lack accommodation facilities.

Current Job Opportunities