The World - News from July 26, 1989

Thundershowers rumbled across Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces, spilling light rain onto hundreds of forest fires that have blackened more than 2.2 million acres across a wide area of Canada. Officials held out hope that more rain by today would dampen the flames. The worst forest fires in Manitoba’s history have consumed about 3,500 square miles of land--more than the combined area of Delaware and Rhode Island--and continue to burn. Another 1,500 people were evacuated in Manitoba, bringing to nearly 21,000 the number forced to leave their homes by more than 225 separate fires--50 of them still out of control. Evacuees were being taken to Thompson, The Pas and Flin Flon.