Return home for Pauingassi First Nation residents stalled
Hundreds of Pauingassi First Nation evacuees who were so close to going home are unexpectedly staying put in Winnipeg.
The Red Cross said a sudden issue at the water treatment facility prevented more than 300 people from returning home Monday.
A technician flew into to the community to fix the issue, said the Red Cross.
As of Monday morning, the water treatment plant has been fixed, but the time it took to repair the plant means getting other things up and running, like the nursing station, is behind schedule, said Red Cross spokesperson Jason Small.
"Having the water treatment plant, having a problem with it set us back a bit," said Small.
"It does not look like anyone is going home today," he said Monday.
It's unknown when community members will be allowed to return, he added.
Evacuees have been cooped up in Winnipeg hotels for more than a month after an approaching wildfire on May 21 mandated the displacement.
The news is a disappointment to residents, said Michelle Palansky, who is also with the Red Cross.
"I imagine it's kind of crushing, actually, because they were so close to being ready to head home and then to have that happen," she said. "That's no fun at all."
Residents will go home once the water treatment plant is working again, she said.
Meanwhile, all 700 people evacuated from Little Grand Rapids, about 15 kilometres from Pauingassi, returned home last weekend.
The Canadian Red Cross, which has been co-ordinating the evacuation with local councils, has worked over the last couple of weeks to restore power and water service to the two communities, and spent close to $1 million to replace fridges that were spoiled by rotting food.
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