Rain in forecast hopeful sign on wildfire front
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/05/2021 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
As wildfires raged across parched land in southern Manitoba, fanned by wind gusts and heat, the forecast held the promise of relief.
“Let it pour,” said Amy Vereb, owner of Otter Falls resort in Whiteshell Provincial Park, where officials were forced to close Highway 307 from Seven Sisters falls to Eleanor Lake Tuesday because of haze and smoke.
Manitoba Wildlife Services crews worked on the ground and water bombers attacked the fire, north of Whitemouth, which is 3,800 hectares.
There is a 60 per cent chance of showers in the area Wednesday, and rain is expected from Thursday until Saturday. Southern Manitoba has had little precipitation in the past month. In Winnipeg, just 4.4 milimetres of rain has fallen since May 1.
Vereb said she hadn’t received much information about the forest fire burning across the Winnipeg River near her business. Tuesday morning, smoke was heavy, but the wind shifted by mid-afternoon and pushed the smoke away.
“It’s really, really dry out here. I’m not surprised… I’m just hoping (the fire) stays away.”
Travis Jensen, who owns a cabin on the Winnipeg River across the Seven Sisters Dam, said the sky was hazy and he watched water bombers fly in the area.
He went up to get some work done around the property before the rain arrives.
“Any kind of fire when you’re in a bush setting, far away from a fire department and hydrants, is a little more anxiety-inducing,” Jensen said. “My cottage is a log home. When it goes, it will go fast.”
“It’s very dry and the water is low, so we’re definitely in need of some moisture here,” Jensen said.
On Tuesday, 21 wildfires were burning, six of which were listed as out of control.
The ban on backcountry hiking and canoeing, south of the 53rd parallel, remained in effect and burn bans were in place in most municipalities. Air-quality warnings were issued for parts of southern Manitoba due to smoke.
Despite the promise of a reprieve, there was concern thunderstorms could materialize and spark new fires.
A spokesman for the province said the Manitoba Wildfire Service would not do media interviews Tuesday.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Erik Pindera
Reporter
Erik Pindera reports for the city desk, with a particular focus on crime and justice.
Significant fires, road closures
Southeast: Crews from Manitoba and a team from Quebec are fighting a 2,000-hectare fire in the RM of Piney in the extreme southeast corner of the province.
Southwest: Near Carberry, residents of more than a dozen homes were evacuated overnight Monday after a grassland fire grew significantly. CFB Shilo public affairs officer Lori Truscott said the fire has burned 15,000 hectares of land. The province said the fire was estimated at 3,600 hectares by mid-day Tuesday as crews from the military, the Manitoba Wildfire Service and local authorities worked to suppress the blaze. As of Tuesday, smoke from the fire forced the closure of Highway 5, from seven kilometres south of the Trans-Canada Highway to 10 kilometres north of Highway 2.
Interlake: Two large fires continued to burn, including one near the community of Homebrook, which was estimated to be 70,000 hectares. The flames pushed past a perimeter that had been established. Hot and windy conditions raised “significant concerns” about the fire spreading, the province said. A road construction camp in the area was evacuated and there was potential for evacuation of Homebrook and nearby communities affected by smoke. In the RM of Grahamdale, two fires converged into one that had consumed 1,100 hectares near Lake St. Martin First Nation and Dauphin River First Nation. Fire closed Highway 6 between Highway 60 and the St. Martin Junction.
Parkland: A fire of more than 300 hectares closed Highway 20 from Cowan to Camperville, a stretch of road between Lake Winnipegosis and Duck Mountain Provincial Park.
Erik Pindera
Reporter
Erik Pindera reports for the city desk, with a particular focus on crime and justice.
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