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As evacuees fleeing wildfires in northern Manitoba watched rainfall in parts of the province on Sunday, community leaders are warning the north needs heavier downpour to help firefighters on the ground. Lori Forbes, emergency co-ordinator for the Rural Municipality of Kelsey, said Sunday’s rain didn’t fall where it was needed most. “We did get the rain in The Pas but we need the rain in the north. We need the rain where the fires are to help the firefighters,” Forbes said. She said The Pas was about 100 kilometres away from the fire on Sunday afternoon. According to the province’s most recent fire bulletin on Sunday, the wildfire near Sherridon is more than 300,000 hectares in size and is still out of control. “The further north you went, the less rain there was,” Forbes said. The eight-degree temperatures are helping fire crews, she said, but it’s windy and the weather is “changing very quickly.”

Related coverage in Steinbach Online by Judy Peters: Eastern Manitoba wildfire remains largest in province as evacuation orders continue