RED LAKE – WILDFIRE UPDATE – Residents of Red Lake Municipality are breathing a sigh of relief. The implementation order on the community has been rescinded.
People are now able to return home.
As noted in previous communications, the fire (RED049) which had threatened our community is considered to be 100% contained and does not pose a threat to our Municipality.
Please be advised that at 7:00 a.m. Sunday, August 16th, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) will be rescinding the Implementation Order restricting the access to the Municipality of Red Lake.
Residents at that time are allowed to safely re-enter the community (s) and are not required to register upon your return.
Should a resident have questions or require assistance, please call 2–1–1.
We are advised by Enbridge (Natural Gas) that services to residential and commercial properties may take up to five (5) days to restore services throughout the Municipality.
For those residents re-entering the communities of Madsen and Starrett Olsen. As a result of the damage caused by RED049, Bell fibre optic services are not available at this time and therefore restrict resident’s ability to access 911 services. As you are re-entering at your own risk, the Municipality requests those individuals/households who do not own and/or have access to a cellular device to call 2–1–1 and provide notification of such.
As it will take some time for the community to get back to some level of normalcy, we do advise that the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Hospital will maintain emergency services only until such time that Enbridge (Natural Gas) services are fully restored to the hospital. The hospital requests that families of inpatients please contact the hospital at 807-727-3811 to discuss the repatriation of their loved ones. It is essential to make telephone contact, prior to the patient’s return to the Hospital.
It is imperative that motorists travel with patience as traffic may be congested at times. The safe passage of all travelers is of extreme importance and the OPP will have an increased presence on our Highways.
“These have been very difficult times for all of us. I cannot express enough how important it is for our residents to take their time, abide by the Provincially mandated speed limits, and travel with caution as you make your way back to your homes.”
