Latest news with #ChurchillRiver
CBC
7 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Leaf Rapids home burns after wildfire flames leaped river
Social Sharing One home has been damaged by wildfire in the northern Manitoba town of Leaf Rapids after flames jumped the Churchill River and entered the community Wednesday night. "For all those who hoped and prayed for a miracle, information is that one normally occupied house on Utik Crescent is the only structure that appears to be damaged from the fire last night. The owner of this house is being contacted directly," a post on the Town of Leaf Rapids Facebook page said Thursday morning. "All other structures are standing and appear to be undamaged." Manitoba government officials are holding a news conference on Thursday at 12:45 p.m. CT to provide an update on wildfires around the province. CBC News will livestream the newser here and on CBC Gem. The latest provincial fire situation report said Monday there were 121 active wildfires across Manitoba. There had been 333 wildfires this year as of Monday, well above the average of 243 for that date. Leaf Rapids — about 150 kilometres northwest of Thompson, or 740 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg — is surrounded by three of those fires. Flames from the fire that leaped across the river and damaged the home forced fire crews to temporarily retreat from the front lines into a safe zone before returning to resume their efforts. Leaf Rapids declared a local state of emergency on July 7, with its 350 residents ordered to evacuate.
CBC
10-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
It's not a done deal, but Hydro-Québec is spending millions on Gull Island study
Even without a finalized agreement in place, Hydro-Québec is spending millions of dollars on site studies for a proposed hydroelectric project on the lower Churchill River in Labrador. In a statement on Tuesday, Hydro-Québec said workers will be on the ground of Gull Island later this week to collect environmental data, complete surveys and install construction trailers as part of geotechnical and environmental studies. Hydro-Québec spokesperson Lynn St-Laurent later told CBC News she expects workers will be in the area until the end of September or mid-October, with 40 on site at the study's peak. "Today, for instance, there's probably less than 10 people, but that'll be building up in the coming days," St-Laurent said, adding the surveying work is expected to start in the coming days. Surveying the ground of Gull Island will involve some drilling and tree clearing, she said. "This is kind of a standard process, though, because this is a large endeavour and there's a lot of information that we need to get ready," she said. "There's also some components that are standard for the reaching of the final agreement." A memorandum of understanding to develop more hydroelectric capacity on the Churchill River — including the Gull Island project — was first announced in December and is set to be finalized in April 2026. "This is an important step on a long path toward developing this major renewable energy resource. Seeing the first workers in the field gives further impetus to the project," Hydro-Québec president and CEO Claudine Bouchard said in the statement. "It's a clear affirmation of our commitment to carrying out this historic project, signing a final agreement with our partner N.L. Hydro, and working with Indigenous and local businesses in Labrador." The Quebec Crown corporation estimates the study will cost between $10 to $15 million, which is coming from Hydro-Québec's subsidiary Société d'Énergie de la Baie James. The statement also said the two Crown corporations — Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro — are aiming on a final agreement "in the coming months." Local boost The news of site work comes a few weeks after the Innu Nation and Hydro-Québec announced they had reached a Churchill Falls agreement. St-Lauren told CBC News that Hydro-Québec's survey will not impact the Mainishan Nui Gathering, which takes place during the third week of September on Gull Island. "We certainly don't want to disrupt that event, and we're making sure to to preserve that calendar and be a respectful obviously of of that event," she said. Gull Island is one of the last undeveloped hydroelectric projects in North America. The Gull Island project would be a new entity, owned 60 per cent by N.L. Hydro and 40 per cent by Hydro-Québec. The target date for commissioning Gull Island is 2035. In its statement on Tuesday, Hydro-Québec said the studies are already giving boosts to Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, pointing to Stassinu Stantec Limited Partnership as the company to carry out the geotechnical studies and Air Borealis to transport employees.
CTV News
09-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Sask. forests under broad fire ban amid ‘extreme' wildfire risk
A huge swath of Saskatchewan's boreal forest is under a provincial fire ban. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said Thursday that the ban, which covers the forested area from just north of Prince Albert up to the Churchill River, is the result of high fire activity and 'extreme fire risk.' Open fires, controlled burns and fireworks are prohibited in the area, including in provincial parks and recreation sites. 'At this time, implementing a fire ban is a necessary action to protect lives, communities, major infrastructure and resources from wildfire,' said Steve Roberts, SPSA vice-president of operations. Sask. fire ban A map of the area covered under the latest fire ban. (Courtesy: SPSA) 'The primary cause of the current wildfires in the province is human activity. We are strongly reminding the public that human-caused fires are preventable.' The public safety agency says human-caused wildfires usually start in accessible areas near communities and roads. 'Simple actions like not driving a vehicle on dry grass, drowning campfires until embers are cool and talking to young children about fire safety can make an impact on the number of fires in Saskatchewan,' the SPSA said. As of Friday morning, there were 24 active wildfires in the province, including nine that were uncontained and expected to continue growing in size. Find an interactive fire ban map on the SPSA website here.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Provincial fire ban issued for large part of northern Sask.
A fire ban has been issued by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency for a large part of the province's north, effective as of 5 p.m. Thursday. It includes areas north of the provincial forest boundary to the Churchill River and is meant to stop human-caused fires, the agency said in a news release. The ban prohibits open fires, controlled burns and fireworks in the designated area, including in provincial parks, recreation sites and the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District in the area. A list of fire restrictions in provincial parks and recreation sites can be found here. The fire ban is necessary "to protect lives, communities, major infrastructure, and resources from wildfire," public safety agency vice-president of operations Steve Roberts said in the news release. Roberts said the main cause of the current wildfires is human activity that can be prevented. The agency said 28 wildfires were burning in the province as of Thursday afternoon. So far, there have been a total of 133 wildfires in Saskatchewan this year, according to the news release.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Provincial fire ban issued for large part of northern Sask.
Open fires, controlled burns and fireworks prohibited in designated areas Image | Sask Wildfires 20150715 Caption: A file photo shows burned forest near Weyakwin, Sask., in July 2015. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency issued a fire ban for part of the province's north on Thursday. (Liam Richards/The StarPhoenix/The Canadian Press pool) A fire ban has been issued by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency for a large part of the province's north, effective as of 5 p.m. Thursday. It includes areas north of the provincial forest boundary to the Churchill River and is meant to stop human-caused fires, the agency said in a news release. The ban prohibits open fires, controlled burns and fireworks in the designated area, including in provincial parks, recreation sites and the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District in the area. A list of fire restrictions in provincial parks and recreation sites can be found here. The fire ban is necessary "to protect lives, communities, major infrastructure, and resources from wildfire," public safety agency vice-president of operations Steve Roberts said in the news release. Roberts said the main cause of the current wildfires is human activity that can be prevented. The agency said 28 wildfires were burning in the province as of Thursday afternoon.
