Officials keeping an eye on wildfire conditions as hot, dry weather envelopes Manitoba
Manitoba’s wildfire season got off to an earlier start this year, and now hot, dry conditions are causing some concerns.
Several large wildfires broke out across the province in May and June, including in and around Winnipeg, in the Whiteshell area, and in the R.M. of Piney.
“It was very scary for us,” said Reeve Wayne Anderson.
“It came within two and a half kilometres of settlement centres, so that was not a good thing, but we do live in a forested area out here. It’s a very beautiful area to live in, but when it gets dry, there is a danger of forest fires.”
On top of drought conditions, the province is currently in the midst of a heatwave with daytime highs in the mid-to-upper-30s.
The heat dome moved into Manitoba after wreaking havoc in British Columbia, where the village of Lytton was destroyed by a fire just days after shattering heat records.
This hot, dry weather in Manitoba is adding to the wildfire risk.
“We can see it being a very busy July and into August,” said David Schafer, director of the Manitoba Wildfire Service.
“We really need some significant rainfall right across the province, in particular, the south and central regions where we’ve been in those drought conditions to really change the situation.”
So far, there have been 122 fires in Manitoba this season, which is lower than the 20-year average, however, many have been significant.
“It’s been a challenging spring season, with a lot of large fires all occurring at once through that mid-May period, that kept us busy throughout May and a good part of June,” said Schafer.
These conditions are also causing stress for farmers, with crops suffering as a result, though Keystone Agricultural Producers vice president Jake Ayre said it’s not time to panic yet.
“I would say if we see a continued pattern without moisture, things could potentially change, but I mean, in farming and in agriculture, that’s the battle we’re constantly facing,” said Ayre.
“It’s never just the right amount of moisture.”
The R.M. of Piney is keeping a close eye on these conditions, but is remaining optimistic.
“We are drying out quickly here because of the heat. There will be problems in the near future, but fortunately, we have a little cooler temperatures forecast next week and maybe a little bit of rain too,” said Anderson.
The Manitoba Wildfire Service said it is now seeing a number of fires started by lightning, primarily east of Lake Winnipeg, so it is focusing its efforts there. It is also monitoring a number of large wildfires just across the border in Ontario.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.