Winnipeg welcoming Pikangikum residents fleeing forest fire

Pikangikum First Nation residents fleeing a forest fire are headed to Manitoba as the3,600-hectare blazeburns just kilometres from the fly-in community.

The Manitoba government is supporting Ontario's evacuation of the community, about 300 kilometresnortheast of Winnipeg, north of Red Lake, Ont.

Manitoba's Emergency Measures Organization, the Canadian Red Cross and the City of Winnipeg are co-ordinating temporary lodging and services for evacuees in Winnipeg.

"We've already engaged our team of volunteers and staff," saidRed Cross spokesperson Jason Small. "Our team is in place and ready to go."

Small said residents of the fly-in community started arriving in Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN)Deputy Grand Chief Derek Fox said more than 800 people have already left Pikangikum; they've been taken to other northwestern Ontario communities, including Thunder Bay.

More than 1,000 community residents are considered especially vulnerable to the smoke.About 3,800 people live in Pikangikum.

A Hercules aircraft from Winnipeg landed in the fly-in community on Sunday at around 11:30 a.m., and a second plane is en route from Winnipeg as well. The planes will be used to move people out of the community.

The Canadian Armed Forces said about 1,500 people had been airlifted out ofPikangikum as of late Saturday.

Small says if people want to help, they can visit the Red Cross website andsign up to volunteer.