A forest fire in northern Manitoba at Kisseynew Lake has increased in size to 40,000 hectares, up from 10,000 on June 23, said officials.

An evacuation warning remains in place for the nearby community of Cranberry Portage, near Flin Flon.

Residents of the community are being told they should prepare to leave the area because of smoke from a forest fire at Kisseynew Lake, located between Cranbery Portage and Sherridon, said provincial officials.

Officials said the fire is not directly threatening the Cranberry Portage community, but the smoke is causing health concerns.

About 200 people have voluntarily left Cranberry Portage, while about 68 people have left nearby Cormorant.

Two cabins and a rail bridge near Optic Lake were destroyed by the fire, said the province.

Eight water bombers and other equipment are being used by 29 firefighting crews to combat the blaze. Crews from Ontario, Minnesota and British Columbia have been brought in to help Manitoba firefighters. The province is also requesting crews from Wisconsin.

About 200 people in total are fighting the fire.

Travel restrictions are in place in areas around Cranberry Portage, The Pas, Flin Flon and Thompson areas.

The road between Cranberry Portage and Sherridon has been closed, said officials.

Details on road conditions are available online at www.manitoba.ca or by calling toll-free to 1-877-627-6237.

Information on forest fires is available at local Manitoba Conservation offices.

The Red Cross has also set up a phone line for evacuees from the Cranberry Portage region. People can call the number and leave information on their new location. Relatives can call the same number to get information that their family members are safe, said officials.

"The Family Reunification Line makes it convenient for evacuees to register no matter where they are," said Amanda Herbert, the Manitoba disaster response team director.

The number is 1-888-662-3211 and is operational daily between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (CST) until further notice or the situation normalizes.

- for a look at more photos related to the forest fires, please visit our gallery