15°c Clear
25°c Variable cloudiness
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Winds, heat feed forest fires
Shifting winds and a week-long spell of dry, hot weather are hampering efforts to fight three wildfires in the forests of southeastern Manitoba, the province said in an update Thursday.
The province imposed a travel ban on recreational activity in the area even as they prepare to celebrate Victoria Day, the first long weekend holiday of the summer.
Travel is limited to provincial and municipal routes and officers with the province are turning people back on some trails.
Of the three fires, the biggest one is near the community of Badger which was hurriedly evacuated early Monday. It covers 53 square kilometres. Crews are holding the line on that fire with an army of equipment but they haven’t managed to tame it yet. Badger is 130 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg. Municipal crews are monitoring fire lines that protect the town.
The second wildfire near Marchand, 83 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, covers 11 square kilometres.
A third fire, near the town of Vita, continues to test municipal crews from the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn. It covers 41 square kilometres.
The province has 80 firefighters battling the two Sandilands wildfires, along with 40 firefighters from British Columbia. The army of equipment deployed every day from a Conservation command centre at Marchand includes 14 bulldozers, four water bombers and four single-engine air tankers and five helicopters.
The province called in help from outside Manitoba to fight the fires. Two additional water bombers from Quebec arrived earlier this week , and a DC-4 aircraft that sprays fire retardant from the Northwest Territories arrived in the province Wednesday.
The province repeated warnings about the health effects of smoke in the air. Manitobans with health concerns can call their doctor or Health Links at 788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257.
For more information on the fires, click on www.gov.mb.ca/wildfires . Highway information can be found at www.mb511.ca or 1-877-MBRoads.
Updates from Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship have been issued daily since fires broke out over the weekend.
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
06/17/2013 4:21 PM 0A St. Vital man was sent to prison this afternoon for attacking another man at a 2010 Halloween social, putting ...
Poll
Most Popular Local
- A day in the life of 13,380 Manitoba Marathon participants
- Known as kind, outgoing men
- Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Man convicted of drunk driving in Henderson pile-up
- Zoo's tigers will get more room to roam
- Saskatchewan considering hydro deal with Manitoba
- Kenyan's title tops field of triumphs
- St. Norbert's hopping
- Carman seniors' home evacuated due to fire
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Poolside feeding prompts eviction
- Stoppage of play off the field
- Game-day planning a must
- No mad dash for concessions
- Kenyan wins Manitoba Marathon
- Traffic heavy as Bomber fans flock to U of M
- Killer 'should stay in prison'
- Chiefs call for inquest into woman's death in nursing station
- Father blasts 'horrific' movie
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Car in deadly crash stolen?
- UPDATE: Now with FAQ: Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Daycare provider charged with abandonment
- Two people killed in crash north of Winnipeg
- A day in the life of 13,380 Manitoba Marathon participants
- Known as kind, outgoing men
- Carman seniors' home evacuated due to fire
- Kenyan's title tops field of triumphs
- Rally for newcomers' health care
- Mine cleanup tangled up in ownership flap
- Recess date passes as Tories battle PST hike
- St. Norbert's hopping
- Saskatchewan considering hydro deal with Manitoba
- Toronto woman dead in rural Manitoba ATV wreck
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Doctors blamed for death
- App could give Winnipeggers chance to report bad parking, get paid
- $110-K worth of nickel plates stolen from Thompson mine
- Jaimie Creasy becomes first woman to graduate from RRC with degree
- A day in the life of 13,380 Manitoba Marathon participants
- Students protest for water access
- Stoppage of play off the field
- Bomber fans wowed by new stadium
- Squirrel crawls out of Winnipegger's toilet
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Father blasts 'horrific' movie
- Teachers support adding sexual-orientation themes to all curricula
- The crime fighter's revolution
- Safeway stores likely to close
- Car in deadly crash stolen?
- Fishing for fashion
- City's first urban reserve born
- On board with the Snowbirds
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.