Thunder Bay is preparing to host 400 Pikangikum evacuees as fires threaten their homes.
Adding to the city’s concerns is the fact there are up to 600 evacuees who came to the city on their own.
City Manager Norm Gale notes although they are nearing capacity, they will continue to work with their community partners to ensure everyone is safe.
“We want people to be safe; we want people to get the care they need. We understand the duress they are under, we understand they have been forced from their homes, and they are in a different place. We are here to help, we want to do the best we can, but we have extraordinary constraints on our end, and we appeal for help.”
The City Manager adds some services and supports may be limited or unavailable at this time, but the city is doing its best to help everyone fleeing Pikangikum.
200 evacuees are coming to the city today, 100 are arriving on Friday and another 100 next Wednesday.
Thunder Bay has been officially under a state of emergency since May and is getting help from the provincial government through emergency programs and services.
The city would like more communities in Ontario to step up and become host communities as more fires start to threaten more than one remote community.
