The Northern Health Region is urging residents across northern Manitoba to plan ahead for health care disruptions as summer storm season approaches and wildfire evacuations continue. New guidance posted June 27, 2026, on the region’s website asks people to know their nearest Emergency Department and review their health needs now, before a crisis forces them from their homes.
The push comes while communities like Lynn Lake and Split Lake remain evacuated due to large wildfires nearby, and Cross Lake residents are still recovering after their own evacuation order was lifted earlier this month. The health authority says having a personal emergency plan can help keep care on track during uncontrollable events like wildfires or severe storms.
“Emergency preparedness planning for your individual health care needs helps maintain the continuity of care during uncontrollable or environmental events,” the Northern Health Region’s emergency preparedness page states. The page directly advises anyone displaced from their home community to get to a safe location, review their health needs, and know which Emergency Department to go to if urgent care is required.
The advice is shaped by the 2025 wildfire season, described by the province as one of the most severe in Manitoba’s history. According to a provincial interim After Action Review, 445 fires burned more than 2.38 million hectares and forced over 33,000 people to evacuate. That season saw the largest domestic air evacuation in Canadian history, with more than 4,100 air evacuations by the Canadian Armed Forces.
The Northern Health Region serves roughly 76,000 residents over 60 per cent of Manitoba’s land mass. It operates 14 health centres, including hospitals in Thompson, Flin Flon, and The Pas. The region also maintains a disaster management plan that staff practice regularly, aiming to reduce the impact of real-life disasters when they occur.
