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
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.