Two friends from Winnipeg, Eric Gauthier and Pascal Breton, set out earlier this week to relive cherished childhood memories by camping in Nopiming Provincial Park with their young sons. The peaceful trip quickly turned to crisis when a lightning strike near Bird River — about 60 kilometres southwest of their campsite on Garner Lake near the Ontario border — ignited a rapidly spreading wildfire on Monday.
“We were camping, fishing on a beautiful beach in a stunning place,” Gauthier recalled. His seven-year-old son, Caleb Henley, added, “We caught a lot of fish.”
On Tuesday, while grilling steaks and preparing a cooler full of walleye, the group noticed a helicopter approaching their peninsula campsite. Unbeknownst to them at the time, authorities had issued an evacuation order for Nopiming Park, requiring all residents, cottagers, and campers to leave immediately.
Breton initially worried the helicopter might be responding to a banned open fire, as campfires are prohibited between April and November in the province. The group had arrived at Garner Lake via two boats from a friend’s cabin on Beresford Lake, an area without cell service. That friend, monitoring provincial fire updates from Winnipeg, received an evacuation notice for Beresford Lake and promptly alerted conservation officials about the group’s location.
“When the helicopter landed, Conservation told us, ‘We have to get you out of here — there’s a fire very close,’” Breton said.
Manitoba wildfire and conservation officials rescued the four campers, who were among 13 people evacuated on Tuesday, according to a provincial spokesperson.
Breton’s six-year-old son, Remi Gautron-Breton, described the scene: “The sun looked red as we flew up, and there was just a wall of fire all the way back to Lac du Bonnet.”
Gauthier, who first explored Nopiming as a teenager, was heartbroken seeing the park engulfed in flames from above. “It’s devastating to lose that park. It holds a special place in my heart,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking about our safety, just that our playground, our special place, was gone.”
Breton, who has camped there since he was eight, fears the wildfire may leave the park as “a charred bunch of trees and rock for years.”
Tragically, their friend’s cabin on Beresford Lake was completely destroyed. “All that’s left is the wood stove,” Gauthier said. Both men also lost trucks parked outside the cabin.
As of Saturday, the wildfire remained out of control, having grown to over 100,000 hectares, according to the province’s latest fire report. Bird River Fire Chief Mac Kinghorn posted on Facebook that firefighters planned to continue suppression efforts Sunday. After poor weather had previously hindered direct firefighting, recent rain has improved conditions, making the ground wet and more manageable for crews.
However, officials have yet to announce when evacuees can safely return home.
Gauthier emphasized the importance of always informing someone of your backcountry plans, crediting their friend’s vigilance for helping ensure their safety.
Breton expressed deep gratitude to their friend, rescuers, and the brave firefighters battling the blaze. “Everyone involved in the rescue effort was amazing,” he said.
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