Manitoba Hydro Repairing and Protecting Infrastructure in Wildfire Zone
August 20, 2025
Manitoba Hydro crews are working to repair fire-damaged infrastructure and restore power in several communities, the utility said in a August 14 news release.
The 2025 wildfire season is now the worst on record in the past 30 years, says the utility with more than 2 million hectares (ha) of area burned in Manitoba and many fires still burning.
Wildfires have caused considerable damage to poles, power lines and other equipment across a wide area and resulted in power outages in some communities.
Through its Wildfire outage tracker, Manitoba Hydro says currently 1,388 customers have been impacted, with 1,069 structures damaged, and 556 structures repaired or replaced.
“We appreciate the difficulty and stress being faced by the many families and communities affected by these wildfires, which includes going without electricity for extended periods,” said Manitoba Hydro President and CEO Allan Danroth.
“Manitoba Hydro crews have already made considerable progress repairing the significant amount of our infrastructure damaged in this wildfire crisis. But we are just getting access to some hard-to-reach areas and finding more damage as we enter those locations. Also, some fires are still burning, impeding restoration efforts.
“The timelines are fluid, but crews are working to restore power as soon as possible, without compromising safety,” Danroth said.
In some places access is so difficult, crews and equipment must be delivered by helicopter. In rocky terrain, poles may need to be set in holes bored 1.5 metres into the rock.
As more damaged areas become accessible, the utility is mobilizing more crews and activating more resources to make repairs. For example, a new 40-person camp has been established at Leaf Rapids, fully equipped to allow crews to stay onsite, close to the damaged area.
Manitoba Hydro is also receiving assistance from mutual aid partner SaskPower, which will provide two additional tracked vehicles and crews to assist with restoration efforts in difficult terrain.
The utility is also bringing on additional contractors to help bolster the restoration effort. In all, hundreds of personnel will be working across the north to repair the damage caused by the worst wildfire season in the last 30 years.
So far this year more than 1,200 wood poles have been damaged or destroyed by wildfire, along with related equipment such as power lines and transformers. Some damage is only just becoming visible, and fires are still burning.
On Wednesday, an aerial survey revealed previously unseen damage to about 100 poles along a 75 kilometre stretch of transmission line in the Leaf Rapids – South Indian Lake area, with some still on fire and the final number likely to grow.
Approximately 500 wildfire-damaged poles and their related equipment have already been repaired or replaced by Manitoba Hydro crews since this wildfire season began, often in remote areas, difficult terrain and smoke.
“The scale and duration of this wildfire season are putting enormous strain on many Manitobans, especially those forced from their homes or experiencing power outages,” said Allan Danroth, Manitoba Hydro President and CEO. “Manitoba Hydro is making every effort to maintain and restore power despite very challenging conditions.
“Manitoba Hydro begins restoration work when the Manitoba Wildfire Service determines the area is safe and expected to remain so. The safety of our crews is our absolute top priority,” Danroth said.
In some cases, power lines are down in remote areas with little or no road access, and smoke or weather limits access even by air. This can add to the time required to make repairs. Manitoba Hydro is in communication with mutual assistance partners in other jurisdictions for additional specialized equipment.
Approximately 1,300 customers are without power in five northern Manitoba communities due to wildfires. Manitoba Hydro is unable to estimate restoration times at this point. There are a number of areas Manitoba Hydro crews have been unable to access while fires are still burning. The utility is providing information to communities as soon as it is available.
In addition to making repairs, Manitoba Hydro is also working to protect infrastructure from damage. While this has always been part of regular operations, the utility is focusing more effort this year on fire protection measures such as clearing vegetation, installing outdoor sprinkler systems at facilities, and wrapping wood poles with fire resistant material.
“So far this year, more than 3,000 poles have been wrapped, in some areas by community members hired to perform this work, trained and supervised by Manitoba Hydro staff, and work continues,” said Danroth.
Some Manitoba Hydro infrastructure has already benefited. In some cases, fire has approached lines or facilities, and damage was avoided or minimized by these measures.
