Wildfire in Caddy Lake area burns cabin, small train station

Rain has helped contain a wildfire burning along the Manitoba-Ontario border near Caddy Lake, but it didn't stop the blaze from claiming a cabin and a small former train station overnight Wednesday.

Provincial officials said the trapping cabin and the Winnitobastationwere both unoccupied at the time they burned down.

On Thursday, the fire's size was stillabout 5,800 hectares, owing mainly to about seven millimetres of rain that fell overnight Wednesday.

"The more the weather is cooperating like this, it's just a great opportunity to make good progress on all the fire lines," saidGary Friesen,manager of the fire program with Manitoba Sustainable Development.

• 'Volatile' forest fires along Manitoba-Ontario border force more evacuations
• Caddy Lake cottage owners watch nervously as wildfire grows

The province does not expect the wildfireto grow over the next 24 hours either.

"Both firesthe Caddy Lake and Beresford fires did not increase in size yesterday and we're not expecting any increases in size today,"Friesen said.

The Beresfordfire is within about 1kilometreof Wallace Lake where buildings have been protected with temporary sprinklers, he said.

Friesen added officials are watching Long Lake but flames haven't moved closer to the community.

There were no new evacuations over the past 24 hours, and officials are monitoring the situation as the weather changes.

An information meeting for people affected by the Caddy Lake is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday night at the Whiteshell Community Hall in Falcon Lake, where Manitoba and Ontario fire officials will be on hand.

Girl Guides camp in area

Cottage owners aren't the only ones watching the fire closely.The wildfire is also threatening the Caddy Lake Girl Guide Camp.

"Time will tell. We're at the mercy of mother nature," said Janet DeSousa, the chair of the camp committee.

DeSousa said she's thankful for the rain that fell overnight, butshe's still concerned the wildfire could flare up again.

"On Monday it came within a kilometre or two of the camp," she said. "It was pretty tense."

DeSousa said the camp is supposed to open on the Maylong weekend, butshe'snotsure that's going to happen.

The camp has been open for 67 years and if it got lost in the fire, it would be a huge loss to the guiding and Caddy Lake communities, she said.

"It would have a hugeimpact on our guiding community. The cottage owners have known us for so long, we're part of this community."

Another fire, which is much larger, is burning near Beresford Lake.

On Wednesday,the province said the fire was still burning about 73,000 hectares.