The City of Thunder Bay has stopped taking in fire evacuees for the time being.
City Manager Norm Gale says as it stands now, they have around 1,000 Pikangikum residents staying in the city right now.
Gale says “that is the greatest number, only rivaled one time, in the past. We are one of a handful of communities that are accepting evacuees now. We are beyond the level that we can provide for safety, security and happiness for people here under duress.”
The Peel Region and the City of London have also agreed to accept evacuees.
Saskatchewan has stepped forward and is now accepting evacuees from the remote First Nation.
As many as 2,000 are being brought to Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert.
Flights out of the community resumed late Thursday after being grounded by smoke.
The forest fire burning just west of Pikangikum now stands at 50,755.76 hectares in size.
