Forest Fire In Manitoba

So most of Manitoba has had terrible rain, now over the last week we've had terribly dry weather in which now 10 hours away from where I live a forest fire is tackling our Northern region.


This link is for June 22nd

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/06/22/man-forest-fire-restrictions-travel.html


As of today

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/manitoba/2010/06/25/14514006.html

Here is another link which is yesterdays

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/06/24/mb-forest-fire-cranberry-portage-manitoba.html

There have been 3,467 fires so far this season, a number greater than the 10-year average of 2,826. The area burned to date is currently 973,333 hectares, which is significantly greater than the 10-year average of 364,592 hectares. Over the last week, the number of fires has been above average (154%) and area burned reported has been well above average (396%). In fact, the 415,875 hectares burned over the last week accounts for 43% of the total area burned to date. While most of the fires occurred in Alberta (161) and Quebec (93) over the last week, most of the area burned occurred in Saskatchewan and Quebec burning 153,431 and 151,214 hectares respectively.

Fire danger has reached extreme levels over the last week in northern parts of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Heavy precipitation continued to affect Southern prairies while a weaker system moved through Ontario and Quebec. Hot weather continues to prevail over much of eastern Canada.

British Columbia has restrictions on open fires in effect in the Cariboo, Coastal and Kamloops regions. In Alberta, fire bans are in effect in Lamonte County, with restrictions associated with fire prevention notices in several other municipalities. A Restricted Fire Zone remains in place for the Northeastern Ontario areas, prohibiting campfires and all open air burning. In Quebec, bans on open burning and industrial burning remain in effect south of 51°N. In New Brunswick, Victoria, Madawaska, Restigouche and Gloucester counties of are currently closed for burning.

(link to this info is http://fire.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/firereport/report-rapport-eng.php if you care to read more)

and the latest information regarding the forest fire





An important road to a northern Manitoba community threatened by fire is being shut down.

Sherridon Road the main overland link to the small community of Sherridon, which has a population of about 100.

It is located 15 kilometers north of Cranberry Portage, which is under evacuation alert due to a massive forest fire burning is about 13 kilometres away.

The fire at Kisseynew Lake, between Cranberry Portage and Sherridon, had grown to about 40,000 hectares by noon Thursday — four times the size it was late Wednesday.

It was up to 45,000 hecatres by midday Friday but has not moved any closer to Cranberry Portage. Rather, it is going the other way, said Duane Feely, supervisor of aviation and field services with Manitoba Conservation.

Extremely dry conditions and gusting winds are fueling the blaze, which was spraked by a lightning strike, he said.

"Mother Nature is going to have to give us significant rains and once that happens we'll be able to get on the fire line and make some headway with the ground crews, heavy equipement, water bombers and helicopter operations," said Feely.

Close to 200 firefighters from Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Minnesota are battling a blaze that has forced the evacuation of Cormorant and put Cranberry Portage on alert. Close to 200 firefighters from Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Minnesota are there.

The Manitoba government has also requested 60 firefighters from the United States.

A health hazard caused by the thick smoke prompted the province on Wednesday to evacuate the village of Cormorant, about 70 kilometres southeast of Cranberry Portage.

The half-dozen people who live in the tiny community have relocated to The Pas, about 100 kilometres south.

The main highways in the area — Highway 10 and Highways 39 — both remain open.



http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/06/25/mb-sherridon-road-closed-fire-manitoba.html