Burn barrels being handed out in Winnipeg homeless encampments

Amid a deep freeze in Winnipeg, burn barrels are being handed out to homeless encampments across the city in an effort to keep people safe and warm.

On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and the Main Street Project's Van Patrol were out distributing the barrels.

The patrol is also working with firefighters to teach people how to use the burn barrels safely.

Sean Sousa, the manager of outreach programming at the Main Street Project, said open fires and propane, which are often used to keep warm in dangerously cold conditions at the camps, can be a danger in and of itself.

"This is a way to sort of reduce that risk because the ground fires are more dangerous than the actual barrels themselves that can be contained," he said.