A large wildfire has impacted thousands in the Cross Lake area, and led to the evacuation of a northern Manitoba community. Chief and council of Pimicikamak Cree Nation declared a state of emergency overnight as residents are threatened by a 1,200-hectare blaze — around the size of 2,300 football fields. Pimicikamak Chief David Monias told Global News that some community members are trying to find places to stay in Winnipeg, while others are waiting in Thompson and The Pas. Monias said the fire kept growing and getting too close for comfort. …Jason Small of the Canadian Red Cross told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg the organization is trying to find hotel rooms for all of the evacuees — with around 200 people already temporarily housed as of early Thursday morning.

Additional coverage in the CBC News by Darren Bernhardt: Some residents already returning after raging wildfire forces 7,000 people to flee Pimicikamak Cree Nation