'We feel settled': Pukatawagan residents to return home thanks to temporary generators
A community in northern Manitoba evacuated over a month ago due to the threat of wildfire can return home thanks to the installation of a pair of temporary generators.
Manitoba Hydro said it took over a month of planning, transportation and installation work to bring the two industrial generators to Pukatawagan First Nation.
According to the crown corporation, this will allow residents to return home while the utility works to replace 77 fire-damaged poles on the power line feeding the community.
“A lot of people worked really hard to make this happen,” said Cyril Patterson, Manitoba Hydro’s director of rural operations, in a news release Wednesday. “There’s lots left to do out there, but we’re happy community members can go home while we finish the job.”
The wildfire that threatened Pukatwagan, also known as Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, forced about 2,000 residents to evacuate in mid-July, while damaging the power line to the community. However, Manitoba Hydro notes it left the rail line intact, which allowed the shipment of the two large generators to temporarily restore power.
Along with the generators, supplies also arrived via rail to replace 77 fire-damaged poles on the power line feeding the community. (Image Source: Manitoba Hydro)
The 1,500 kV generators are too large to be flown in, Hydro notes, and will be continuously monitored and refuelled while crews work to repair the normal power supply.
“Being in our Treaty Six territory is the comfort of home…we feel settled,” said Mathias Colomb Cree Nation Chief Lorna Bighetty in a news release.
“Installing the generators means that essential services — such as health, water and sewer, service to our homes, access to the outside world through internet services and other media — are available again. We will rest at night and rise in the morning knowing that our families are safe.”
Meanwhile, crews will work setting poles in and around steep cliffs, marsh and rock in order to complete necessary repairs. Manitoba Hydro said this will be a difficult task complicated by access issues.
The crown corporation notes many of the materials required to complete the job arrived on the same 27-car train that also transported the generators.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.