Fire safety urged amid dry, windy conditions

Authorities are investigating a football-field size fire that broke out in the Assiniboine Forest Thursday.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is urging residents to be extra cautious amid dry and windy conditions after putting out a forest fire believed to have been ignited by human activity.

“Fires cannot be started when wind speeds or gusts exceed 25 km/h. This includes fires in approved backyard fire pits, fires in city parks and any other open-air fire, even with a permit,” WFPS said in a news release Friday.

Firefighters responded to reports of a wildland fire in Winnipeg’s largest urban forest shortly after 7:30 p.m. Thursday. No injuries were reported.

Crews declared the blaze under control within an hour, after deploying specialized wildland firefighting equipment.

The WFPS is calling on the public to take extra care putting out cigarettes, educate children about fire safety and call 911 immediately upon coming across a forest fire.