Thousands of hotel rooms in Winnipeg and other locations have been opened to wildfire evacuees fleeing blazes across Western Canada.

“Nobody wants to sleep on a cot for more than a day or two, even in an emergency,” Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew told reporters at the First Ministers conference in Saskatoon this week.

“We’re connecting folks who need those enhanced-accessibility supports first and then broadening it out to everybody else who needs help, too.”

According to multiple reports, all 5,000 residents of Flin Flon, Man., thousands of other residents from Manitoba First Nations and other locations were welcomed at Ontario hospitality properties.

A hotel of sorts was also set up for pets affected by the spreading flames. The Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS), with the support of Humane Canada and the Canadian Red Cross, opened a pop-up shelter in the Manitoba capital dedicated to providing evacuees with animals urgent care and support during this crisis.

The shelter can accommodate up to 60 animals in immediate need of refuge and offers basic veterinary services, safe housing food and “spaces for enrichment and exercise.”

According to a news release, the shelter helps to maintain the emotional bonds between owners and pets that are especially critical during such difficult times.

“Communities are stronger when we work together, and we know how much pets mean to their families,” said Christina Von Schindler, CEO of the WHS. “These shelters ensure that displaced families can focus on their own safety with the comfort of knowing their beloved animals are cared for.”

“Communities are stronger when we work together, and we know how much pets mean to their families. These shelters ensure that displaced families can focus on their own safety with the comfort of knowing their beloved animals are cared for” said Christina Von Schindler, CEO of the Winnipeg Humane Society. 

Both Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared states of emergency last week.

B.C. was also grappling with wildfires this week, preparing to evacuation residents in the Peace River district.

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