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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
It's time for regular updates on forest fire emergencies
Opinion Where there's smoke, the saying goes, there's fire. But there isn't necessarily information. Right now, we unfortunately have plenty of both smoke and fire — with the smoke obscuring the sky across Manitoba. It's not just smoke obscuring things. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie It is the first major emergency Premier Wab Kinew government's has had to handle, but there have been real problems with that government when it comes to getting information out. In the past, for major emergencies like floods and COVID-19, regular government briefings provided daily information that the media could pass on Manitobans. With one of the largest emergencies in Manitoba's recent history and thousands evacuated, you'd think that the government would be ready and able to answer questions — in fact, you'd think it would be trying to use the media to get as much information out as possible. It hasn't been happening. That's a point aptly made outside the legislature by Opposition Leader Obby Khan earlier this week: 'We are in a state of emergency in this province. I would think that a daily news conference, a daily press conference, a daily update to Manitobans would be the appropriate thing … This is one of the largest evacuations in Manitoba history and there's lots of unknowns out there. Manitobans have a right to know.' Instead, the government has been less than available, and less than transparent, about the fire emergency. Since the government declared a provincewide state of emergency on May 28, there have been just two media briefings on the fire, with a weeklong gap in between. And it's been relying on issuing a single new release once a day. Dated, late-in-the-day briefing notes don't help to explain the full picture to Manitobans. The June 4 fire bulletin No. 24 runs an impressive 1,387 words. But there's little explanation of anything that's occurred at the fire scenes or how they are being dealt with. Of those 1,387 words, a total of 1,195 (86 per cent) are cut and pasted from fire bulletin No. 23 of the day before. In other words, an update that contains 192 new words of information — and the bulk of that new information has to do with how donations should be handled through the proper channels, and not be dropped off at evacuation centres. The two releases list 19 significant fires — but of those, the majority of which are out of control, only one has any updated information between fire bulletin No. 23 and fire bulletin No. 24. The June 4 bulletin says that fire NO002, near Lynn Lake, has grown from 67,000 hectares to 71,067 hectares. The rest of the fires, apparently, hadn't burned any additional land or increased in size at all in that time — which is obviously not the case. This isn't to say that the information provided isn't useful and necessary — it's just woefully incomplete. The paucity of up-to-date information in those releases wouldn't matter if the provincial government had officials available who could answer media questions about fire suppression and emergency services and evacuation programs — the problem is that they don't. The government finally held a news conference on Thursday, the first since May 28. It was held, in part, to announce an information portal for Manitobans affected by the wildfires. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. The news conference is available for all Manitobans online. It was the first opportunity in a week for the media to ask questions about the fires. Hopefully, the government will see the value in providing media with access to the most information possible. There's real value in having living, breathing humans who can give cogent answers to media questions to allow us to inform the public. Will that happen? Time will tell.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
More crews, firefighting vehicles headed to Cross Lake
A cavalry of firefighters and equipment is being sent to the Cross Lake area to help battle a wildfire that is threatening two neighbouring communities in northern Manitoba. Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias said Thursday that 30 to 35 structural firefighters, six pumpers, tankers and command teams were being mobilized. '(This) morning, I received direct communication from Premier Wab Kinew, who shared the full scope of the manpower, equipment and determination being deployed to protect our homeland, our community, our homes and the infrastructure we've built together with love and sacrifice,' Monias wrote in a Facebook post. The fire near Pimicikamak Cree Nation as seen in late May. (Submitted) He said the additional crews will join 30 firefighters from Cross Lake and Jenpeg, 40 from the province and 30 from the United States. The Manitoba government is scheduled to provide an update on wildfires at 12:45 p.m. Thursday. Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor are among the scheduled speakers. Two fires are burning near Pimicikamak and the incorporated community of Cross Lake. One of the fires had jumped to a nearby island as of Wednesday. Earlier this week, Monias and other First Nations leaders called on the federal and provincial government to send more equipment and resources to northern First Nations threatened by fire, including Pimicikamak and Mathias Colomb (Pukatawagan). 'This is no ordinary response. This is a coalition of nations, communities and protectors coming together in unity, shoulder to shoulder, to confront the threat that has uprooted lives, chased families from their homes, and loomed over our lands for more than two weeks,' Monias wrote Thursday. 'We are not alone.' The U.S. is sending about 100 firefighters and 25 managerial or support staff to Manitoba. They were expected to arrive Thursday and head to their assignments Friday. Pimicikamak and Cross Lake were previously evacuated. Monias has said six residents remain in the area after refusing to leave. The Manitoba Wildfire Service said 27 fires were burning as of Wednesday. The vast majority of Manitoba's roughly 17,000 wildfire evacuees are from northern communities, including Flin Flon and several First Nations. The Winnipeg Police Service, alongside an RCMP representative and Garrison Settee — the grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak — will hold a news conference on 'WPS response to fire evacuee safety' at 1 p.m. Additional firefighting crews are being sent to Flin Flon, where a fire was burning on the perimeter of the evacuated city. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. In a Facebook post, the City of Flin Flon said 260 'dedicated and experienced' personnel are holding back the fire. Neither Flin Flon nor neighbouring Creighton, Sask., have lost structures so far, the Thursday post stated. 'The fire has moved further into Manitoba, to the southeast of Flin Flon and Creighton,' the post said. 'Asset protection is being implemented in the Channing area and the southern parts of Flin Flon.' Crews from Parks Canada and the U.S. are headed to the Rural Municipality of Kelsey. Parks Canada staff will set up a command post at Grace Lake in The Pas, while American firefighters will be extra boots on the ground, said Lori Forbes, the RM's emergency co-ordinator. Chris KitchingReporter Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris. Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Province cancels burn permits, bans back-country travel in wildfire-threatened areas
All provincial burn permits in the eastern and Interlake regions of Manitoba have been cancelled and a complete ban of motorized back-country travel in affected areas will go into effect Friday as wildfires persist. The restricted area is from Provincial Road 302 to Provincial Trunk Highway 12 to PR 317 to PTH 59 and PR 319, east to the Ontario border, and from the U.S. border north to Lake Winnipeg and the Winnipeg River. Restricted provincial parks include Whiteshell, Spruce Woods, Beaudry, St. Ambroise Beach, Stephenfield, Birds Hill, Lake St. Andrews and Lake St. George. A travel restriction map can be found on the provincial government's website. Motorized back-country travel, including ATVs and off-road vehicles, will be banned at all times. Any back-country travel to access remote residences through forestry roads, private roads or trails will require a travel permit. Anyone looking for a permit should contact their local Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures office. CHRIS GAREAU / THE CARILLON FILES Motorized back-country travel, including ATVs, will be banned at all times. The Manitoba Wildfire Service said Thursday that any provincial burn permits under the Wildfires Act that have already been issued in the region are cancelled and no new permits will be issued until the fires improve. Fines for disobeying the bans can result in fines up to $100,000. No burning permits will be issued for areas bordering communities where restrictions are already in place. Those wondering if their municipality is under a burning restriction should check with their local municipal office. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Up-to-date information on the wildfires, changes to restrictions and other information can be found online or on X (formerly Twitter). To report a wildfire, call 911 toll-free at 1-800-782-0076. Malak AbasReporter Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg's North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak. Every piece of reporting Malak produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Manitoba more than triples moose hunt licences in 2025 after controversial cut led to court challenges
Manitoba is shaking up its moose hunt system after a slash to the number of licences offered last year received both flak and legal challenges from a northern Manitoba First Nation and a provincial conservation organization representing the interests of hunters. The province will grant 350 moose hunting licences this year, up from the 100 offered last year, Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie said in a Thursday news release. The move aligns with the province's obligations under the 1977 Northern Flood Agreement, which states Manitoba must prioritize Indigenous harvesters on traditional territory of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Bushie said in the release. Jamie Moses, then the minister of natural resources, sparked fury from Pimicikamak and the Manitoba Wildlife Federation last summer after he cut the number of moose draw hunting licences for Manitoba residents by 75 per cent — from a total of 400 to 100 — across four of Manitoba's 62 game hunting areas. The traditional territory of Pimicikamak, also known as the Cross Lake Resource Area, spans nearly 15,000 square kilometres and portions of four of Manitoba's game hunting areas, including two of four GHAs subject to the 75 per cent licence reduction. Pimicikamak and the wildlife federation both challenged Moses' decision in court. Manitoba Court of King's Bench Justice Brian Bowman heard from lawyers representing Pimicikamak, the wildlife federation and the province during a two-day hearing last November. New wildlife advisory board Pimicikamak's lawyers argued the province's July 11 licensing decision infringed on its rights under provincial laws, Treaty 5 and the 1977 Northern Flood Agreement. The wildlife federation argued the cut in licences was not based on scientific data. The province's lawyers asked Bowman to dismiss both applications, but to dismiss Pimicikamak's case without prejudice so the First Nation could potentially pursue a lawsuit instead, because while both groups have an interest in Manitoba wildlife, they are not equal, as First Nations people have recognized treaty rights to hunt. Bowman has yet to deliver a decision in the case. The province also says aerial surveys focused on moose were conducted in GHAs 9A and 10 over the winter. Fifteen per cent of GHA 9A, and 12 per cent of GHA 10 has been set aside for exclusive use by Indigenous hunters. The 350 moose hunting licences being offered this year span the remaining portions of GHAs 9A and 10, as well as GHAs 15 and 15A. The province is going to work with Pimicikamak to create a wildlife advisory and planning board, which will impact shared wildlife-related resources, Bushie said in the release. The board will help manage resources and allow discussion of shared land and natural resource management, he said.
