Latest news with #Interlake
CBC
02-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Peguis First Nation uses its disaster expertise to help northern Manitoba fire evacuees
When news broke that a massive evacuation was needed to protect people from wildfire, Peguis First Nation stepped up. The First Nation converted its multiplex and home to the Peguis Juniors hockey team into an emergency shelter for up to 300 people. It was more than half full this past weekend. Located in Manitoba's Interlake, Peguis First Nation has repeatedly been flooded. Last month, a local state of emergency was declared after wildfires destroyed homes and heavy smoke put members' health at risk. "People from other communities stepped up, they helped us, we appreciated that. We couldn't have done it without them so we're just trying to reciprocate. We're trying to give back to the people from up north," Chief Stan Bear told CBC News. Peguis chief and council decided to take in evacuees without knowing if any financial or other support would be available because it was clear people needed help right away. "We're never given or allowed the opportunity to do things the way we think they should be done. There's always criteria, guidelines, rules and I think it hampers us," said Bird. "To see what's happening here, that shows that we are quite capable." Bird is proud of the members who are working to make sure Northern First Nations facing evacuation are cared for. "They know what needs to be done and how to do it. They step up. I mean, we've been through so many disasters in our own lifetime that it's almost second nature for us," said Bird. Peguis First Nation welcomes Pimicikamak evacuees 24 minutes ago Duration 2:45 Members of Peguis First Nation have been forced from their homes repeatedly due to frequent flooding and even wildfires The First Nation is now turning the tables and giving back to others in their time of need. Pimicikamak Cree Nation members are the first evacuees to take Peguis up on its offer of safety and shelter. Pimicikamak is about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg on the shores of Cross Lake and counts 6,800 on-reserve members. Lori Osborne, 29, spent more than a day and a half getting to Peguis, including a seven-hour wait for the ferry — the only way into Norway House — about 100 kilometres away by road from Pimicikamak Cree Nation. That was followed by a night on gym mats and another wait, this time for a military Hercules plane, which evacuated them out of Norway House. The plane became overcrowded by evacuees who had driven south to escape the fire. Osborne grew tearful during an interview with CBC News as she recounted what her young children went through to escape the fire. She said the experience was hard on her and her four children, who range in age from eight months to 10 years. "I cried in the bus on the way here, but when I arrived here, I felt so welcome," Osborne said. "When I got in the washroom, I noticed towels hanging everywhere and toiletries and shampoos and toothpaste and toothbrushes, everything was all ready for when we got here. It was nice. I felt safe." She said it makes a difference being surrounded by other First Nations people. "One hundred per cent First Nations people are here and it's comfortable. I like it. I love it." Education assistant Beverly Scatch is taking care of her four-month old grandson while her firefighter daughter, Kaitlin Monias, battles the blaze back in Pimicikamak "I'm kind of scared for her. I feel like I don't know when we're going to see each other again," Scatch said in an interview with CBC News. Monias never got a chance to say goodbye to her mom and infant son before they were forced from their home in Pimicikamak. Scatch hasn't spoken to her since they left. When Scatch tried to reach her daughter Saturday, she was told "she's out in the bush right now," but Monias left word with her supervisor to find out where they were evacuated to and how they were doing. "I'm so proud of her because she did this for her kids and the people back home," said Scatch. But for now, Scratch waits, not knowing when she will speak to her daughter or return home.
CBC
14-05-2025
- CBC
Missing 4-year-old boy found safe after being reported missing from Teulon home: RCMP
Social Sharing Manitoba RCMP say a four-year-old Teulon boy reported missing after he was last seen before bedtime Tuesday night has been found safe. The boy was not in his bedroom Wednesday morning, and was reported missing around 9:15 a.m., Manitoba RCMP said in a news release early Wednesday afternoon. They released another statement not long after to say he had been found. Mounties said the boy was known to sleepwalk, but had never left his home before, and asked residents in the area around the family's Interlake home to check their yards and outbuildings. Stonewall RCMP, along with the RCMP's remote-piloted aircraft system, police service dogs and search and rescue, were involved in searching the area, RCMP said in their news release. CBC News has removed the photo and name of the boy to protect his identity now that he has been found safe.
CBC
14-05-2025
- CBC
Missing 4-year-old boy last seen at home before bedtime Tuesday night: Manitoba RCMP
Police are asking for help finding a missing four-year-old boy, who was last seen before bedtime at his home near the town of Teulon, in Manitoba's Interlake. Andrew Emms was not in his bedroom Wednesday morning, and was reported missing around 9:15 a.m., Manitoba RCMP said in a Wednesday afternoon news release. The boy is known to sleepwalk, and may be wearing only his underwear, RCMP said. Police are asking residents in the area around the boy's home, which is on Road 11E near Teulon, to check their yards and outbuildings. Stonewall RCMP, along with the RCMP's remote-piloted aircraft system, police service dogs and search and rescue are currently on scene and searching the area, RCMP said in their news release. People are asked to call 911 or the Stonewall RCMP at 204-467-5015 if the boy is seen.
CBC
10-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Tractor collides with Manitoba Hydro tower, temporarily cutting capacity on major transmission lines
Manitoba Hydro is cautioning farmers about operating equipment near its infrastructure after a tractor pulling a piece of equipment collided with a hydro tower this week, causing the Crown corporation to lose about a quarter of its transmission capacity. Two of Manitoba Hydro's three main transmission lines were at partial capacity since Tuesday, after a farm tractor pulling a piece of equipment knocked down a tower near Grosse Isle in the Interlake area. "The towers are designed to withstand reasonable forces, you know, high winds … snow, ice. But a large piece of machinery banging into it, there isn't much that's going to withstand that," Hydro spokesperson Peter Chura said in an interview Friday. Chura added while there was "significant loss in transmission capacity, which is never good news," there wasn't a great load on the system at the time — meaning customers were virtually unaffected despite the loss of about 1,400 megawatts of the system's peak transmission capacity of 6,100 megawatts. He said while that loss was on the Bipole I line, that line also carries energy for the Bipole II line — both of which help deliver generating capacity from the Nelson River in northern Manitoba to southern Manitoba. Media relations officer Chura said if those lines had gone down in the height of summer or winter, when people generally use more electricity, Hydro may have had to rely on emergency sources of energy, including firing up the Brandon generating station or using transmission lines to and from the United States. Chura said crews have replaced the damaged high-voltage tower in Manitoba's Interlake area, and the transmission lines were due to go back in service Friday. WATCH | Manitoba Hydro warns farmers after tower damaged by tractor: Manitoba Hydro warns farmers after tower damaged by tractor 5 hours ago Duration 1:42 Manitoba Hydro is urging farmers to be cautious when using equipment near its infrastructure after a tractor collided with a tower in the Interlake on Tuesday. Since then, two of the utility's three main transmission lines have been at partial capacity. He added it was the third time in the past few days where farm equipment has damaged Hydro infrastructure, following similar incidents that caused local power outages near the southern Manitoba community of Oakville and the community of Russell in western Manitoba. "Our main message here is safety. Farmers need to be very careful around Hydro equipment because it's potentially dangerous," Chura said, adding farmers using public roads should apply to Hydro for a clearance permit to identify safe routes for moving tall equipment. "The risk of electrocution is great in these situations." Damage to overhead power lines, poles and towers can also result in outages affecting service to hospital, police and fire stations, which can affect public safety, he said. Chura said generally speaking, when a farmer's machinery comes into contact with Hydro equipment, the farmer is responsible for the cost and typically has insurance to cover the damage. Last year, farm equipment made contact with Hydro infrastructure 136 times, with cultivators and air seeders being the top two culprits, Chura said. Adrien Sala, the provincial minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, said in an emailed statement Friday the province appreciated how quickly Hydro repaired the damage and said Hydro's "built in reliability in the system allowed them to switch and quickly address the issue with little impact to customers."
CBC
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Manitoba Hydro warns farmers after tower damaged by tractor
Manitoba Hydro is urging farmers to be cautious when using equipment near its infrastructure after a tractor collided with a tower in the Interlake on Tuesday. Since then, two of the utility's three main transmission lines have been at partial capacity.
