Latest news with #Interlake
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
States of emergency, agricultural disaster declared in parts of drought-stricken Manitoba
The extremely dry conditions in Manitoba, which have led to multiple wildfires in the north, are now pushing other areas toward an agricultural calamity. The rural municipality of St. Laurent has declared a state of emergency, while the RM of Coldwell has declared a state of agricultural disaster. "In the RM of Coldwell, there's a huge cattle industry, and right now … I would say that on average, the hay's maybe 25 per cent of what they got last year, which is not very good," said Reeve Virgil Johnson. "Everybody's hoping for rain, but we didn't get any — nothing that's really measurable." Many farmers use irrigation systems, relying heavily on dugouts with stored water, "but the dugouts are drying up," Johnson said. The situation is the same in St. Laurent, which is just south of Coldwell. They're both on the west side of Manitoba's Interlake region, up against Lake Manitoba. "We have had many farmers contact us. Their hay is dry and they need help," said St. Laurent Reeve Richard Chartrand. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said as of June 30, the Interlake is in a severe drought situation. Johnson was in touch with Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn a couple of weeks ago, but since then, "it's gotten worse." That prompted a meeting among administrators in the region and an agreement to publicly declare the urgent situations. "We're hoping with everybody doing that, it goes back to the government, and hopefully they can put out some programs for us and help the producers here in a meaningful way, whether that's with feed or freight," Johnson said. "Once they see how many people are actually in trouble in the farming industry in the area — up and down No. 6 highway, it's pretty dry, and surrounding areas as well — hopefully … it does put pressure on them." In a written statement to Radio-Canada and CBC, a spokesperson for Manitoba Agriculture said the province is in discussions with several farmers and municipal officials in the Interlake region. "While we are closely monitoring the situation, we will continue to work with producers to help them address business challenges, including through existing business risk management programs. We remain committed to supporting farms in the Interlake region and across Manitoba," the statement said. Loni Jack, co-owner of Clegr Farms in Lake Francis, just south of the RM of St. Laurent, estimates she'll get barely a third of the canola she had planned to harvest. The same goes for wheat. "We were able to plant our fields, but it hasn't rained, so the crops aren't growing well at all," she said. "It's positive to have planted them, but if they don't grow, we won't make any money." To people passing by the farms while driving along the highway, some crops might look good, but they're not, Johnson said. "The heads just aren't filling out that well," he said, referring to the seed-bearing part of a crop, where the grains develop. Without anything for cattle herds to eat, producers must transport their animals from pasture to pasture, "and it's a big chore," Johnson said.
CBC
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
States of emergency, agricultural disaster declared in parts of drought-stricken Manitoba
Social Sharing The extremely dry conditions in Manitoba, which have led to multiple wildfires in the north, are now pushing other areas toward an agricultural calamity. The rural municipality of St. Laurent has declared a state of emergency, while the RM of Coldwell has declared a state of agricultural disaster. "In the RM of Coldwell, there's a huge cattle industry, and right now … I would say that on average, the hay's maybe 25 per cent of what they got last year, which is not very good," said Reeve Virgil Johnson. "Everybody's hoping for rain, but we didn't get any — nothing that's really measurable." Many farmers use irrigation systems, relying heavily on dugouts with stored water, "but the dugouts are drying up," Johnson said. The situation is the same in St. Laurent, which is just south of Coldwell. They're both on the west side of Manitoba's Interlake region, up against Lake Manitoba. "We have had many farmers contact us. Their hay is dry and they need help," said St. Laurent Reeve Richard Chartrand. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said as of June 30, the Interlake is in a severe drought situation. Johnson was in touch with Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn a couple of weeks ago, but since then, "it's gotten worse." That prompted a meeting among administrators in the region and an agreement to publicly declare the urgent situations. "We're hoping with everybody doing that, it goes back to the government, and hopefully they can put out some programs for us and help the producers here in a meaningful way, whether that's with feed or freight," Johnson said. "Once they see how many people are actually in trouble in the farming industry in the area — up and down No. 6 highway, it's pretty dry, and surrounding areas as well — hopefully … it does put pressure on them." In a written statement to Radio-Canada and CBC, a spokesperson for Manitoba Agriculture said the province is in discussions with several farmers and municipal officials in the Interlake region. "While we are closely monitoring the situation, we will continue to work with producers to help them address business challenges, including through existing business risk management programs. We remain committed to supporting farms in the Interlake region and across Manitoba," the statement said. Loni Jack, co-owner of Clegr Farms in Lake Francis, just south of the RM of St. Laurent, estimates she'll get barely a third of the canola she had planned to harvest. The same goes for wheat. "We were able to plant our fields, but it hasn't rained, so the crops aren't growing well at all," she said. "It's positive to have planted them, but if they don't grow, we won't make any money." To people passing by the farms while driving along the highway, some crops might look good, but they're not, Johnson said. "The heads just aren't filling out that well," he said, referring to the seed-bearing part of a crop, where the grains develop. Without anything for cattle herds to eat, producers must transport their animals from pasture to pasture, "and it's a big chore," Johnson said.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Manitoba weather: Rain expected to start week
Daniel Halmarson has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for July 14, 2025. Daniel Halmarson has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for July 14, 2025. Southern Manitoba will start the week with cooler temperatures and periods of rain. Scattered showers and light winds are expected throughout Monday from the U.S. border to the Interlake, with highs in the low 20s. More rain is anticipated through the night into Tuesday morning, though it should let up by lunchtime. Air quality statements are in effect for most of Manitoba due to wildfire smoke, but no warnings are in place. Expand Autoplay 1 of 28 Gull Harbour Gull Harbour Lighthouse (Photo by Brett House) Notre Dame de Lourdes Beautiful and happy owl on perfect day. (Photo by Diane Simon) Great Balls of Peonies Gator and Harlow wholeheartedly agrees to the heavenly scent. (Photo by Pat Payjack) Lake Red Squirrel We feed the lake red squirrel corn on the cob on his special feeder. (Photo by Tania Kruk) Storm Storm last night near St-Pierre (Photo by Genevieve Hacault) Breezy morning Breezy morning and quite smokey (Photo by Andrew Ashett) Lightning flash on Caddy Lake Lightning flash on Caddy Lake, Whiteshell Prov. Park. (Photo by Mariam Bernstein) Beautiful Sunset Beautiful sunset in the Durban area. (Photo by Ryan Mccullough) Bald Eagle Bald eagle is drying its feathers after going after something in the river. (Photo by Allan Robertson) Red Sunset Red sunset (Photo by Ben Holyk) Mallard duckling Mallard duckling in action catching insects. (Photo by Wade Munro) The gulls are everywhere The gulls are everywhere (Photo by Pat Payjack) Rainbow Rainbow over St. Malo. (Photo by Linda Gay) Bird River No better way too start our holidays than coffee on the dock! (Photo by Tania Kruk) Split Lake Fire, smoke, Northern lights and the moon from my backyard. (Photo by Taralee Beardy) An artist touches up a mural An artist touches up a mural on the Gimli seawall as a storm rolls through in the distance. (Photo by Desiree Rantala) Northern lights Northern lights over Split Lake (Photo by Taralee Beardy) Sparkles and water Sparkles and water (Photo by Sheryl Twardoski) North Kildonan North Kildonan (Photo by Shirley Wark) Near Gimli Near Gimli (Photo by Cynthia Morrow) Rainbow Rainbow over Rainbow RM of Elton (Photo by Lacey Burdeniuk) Lee river sunset Lee river sunset (Photo by Ken Horn) Near Morris Near Morris (Photo by Sandra Harder) After the storm After the storm in Dropmore (Photo by Dan Watson) Rainbow Rainbow over Altbergthal, Manitoba (Photo by Jennifer Klassen) Stormy Sky Stormy sky Near Elm Creek (Photo by Tina Doell) Somerset storm Somerset storm (Photo by Amber Hacault) Mother Nature's own fireworks for Canada Day Mother Nature provided some spectacular fireworks for Canada Day! (Photo by Kat Hedges) However, Environment and Climate Change Canada warns air quality and visibility can vary considerably from hour to hour. The weather agency urges people to limit time outdoors and monitor respiratory symptoms. There is less chance for showers in northern Manitoba, and temperatures will linger in the mid to high teens. Sunny skies and closer to normal temperatures are expected Tuesday.
CBC
04-07-2025
- CBC
Trio charged with assault in north Interlake cemetery stabbing
Three people have been charged in connection with a stabbing in a cemetery in the north of Manitoba's Interlake region. At 10 p.m. Monday, RCMP responded to a report of a stabbing in the cemetery in Pinaymootang First Nation, about 215 kilometres north of Winnipeg, where they found a 30-year-old man suffering from severe injuries. Mounties provided first aid before the man was rushed to hospital. He remains in stable condition. One day later, RCMP — including police dog services and emergency response unit personnel — executed a search warrant on School Road and made three arrests, a news release said Friday. A man, 29, and woman, 45, from Lake St. Martin, were charged with aggravated assault, firearms and weapons offences and more. A 32-year-old man from Fairford was also charged with aggravated assault, firearms and weapons offences, as well as violating a release order and failing to attend court. All three remain in police custody.
CBC
30-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Amid Manitoba's devastating wildfire season, replanting aims to restore forests, fight climate change
Social Sharing At 5:30 a.m., the first alarm goes off, and Marley Moose wakes up in a tent set up in Manitoba's Interlake. Her clothes are dusted in dirt and have a lingering smell, after she spent about 10 hours the day before shovelling to make room for hundreds of seedlings among charred trunks in Devils Lake, a pocket in the Interlake region that's about 300 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Blue-Green Planet Project, a tree-planting company that focuses on sustainability, has been working in partnership with forest services provider Nisokapawino Forestry Management to restore a part of Manitoba's canopy by planting 20 million trees by 2030. "We're not really doing this for our generation," said Moose, who is from Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northwestern Manitoba and was among 87 tree planters reforesting the area in May. "My grandkids will be able to come and see these trees, and they'll be able to run through these forests.…That's going to be their childhood." Hectares of Crown land in the forest were devastated by a jack pine budworm infestation in 2016. Seedlings were regenerating the forest until an out-of-control wildfire ravaged the area in 2021. Every spring since then, dozens of people from across Canada have travelled to the forest to plant millions of trees, in hopes of regenerating the ecosystem. But the devastation the current wildfire season has left in Manitoba has put the need for reforestation projects like this into sharp focus, said Blue-Green Planet Project's Farron Sharp, the reforestation project manager. "When you're in a city and protected from a lot of these disasters, it can be really easy to just become apathetic about it," said Sharp. "Only when it's really close by does it wake you up that this is a crisis." 'A sense of urgency' As of last week, more than 911,000 hectares had burned in wildfires in Manitoba. More wildfires are expected this season amidst above-normal temperatures forecast for the rest of the summer. Sharp has been planting since around 2008. While the number of blazes has fluctuated throughout the years, she said it's now almost inevitable that reforestation projects will be cut short because planters are forced out by wildfires — something that didn't happen when she began, she said. And more reforested areas burn every year, said Sharp. Reforesting is about bringing back one of the best technologies to absorb carbon — a step needed to help stem climate change and dampen the severity of future wildfire seasons, Sharp said. "When you see people lose their homes, people lose their lives, it feels like something that could have been avoided had we woken up 50 years ago," she said. "There's definitely a sense of urgency." The 2025 Manitoba wildfire season in photos: Adrian Metcalfe, a manager at the tree planting project, said reforestation will help build back an ecosystem that lost clean air, shade and habitat for animals and plants after the fire. "We are trying to reverse damage one tree at a time here," he said. "It's our way of telling the Earth that it's not dead yet — not under our watch." When stretches of forest are reduced to ashes and shattered trunks, the timeline to replenish the canopy is highly dependent on the kind of trees that burned down, Sharp said. Forests where mature timber burned are less likely to get replanted. "You'll have a lot of snags [a still-standing but dead tree] and widowmakers" — a detached or broken limb or tree top — that present dangers to planters, said Sharp. Meanwhile, aspen forests have a relatively swift regenerative curve, but once they grow, their broad leaves can shade other tree species that already struggle to come up, like spruce. "It can take up to 150 years for a forest to regenerate fully," said Sharp. Jack pine forests will regenerate on their own and fairly quickly, she said, as intense heat from the wildfires will open up cones and release seeds. Tree planting in forests can generally start as soon as two years after a wildfire, but only if the land is open and safe enough to go in — like Devils Lake, Sharp said. Opaskwayak Cree Nation tree planter Moose said that with reforestation projects, First Nation communities like hers stand a better chance of getting back harvesting, hunting and ceremonial grounds sooner — important for the well-being of generations to come, she said. "Indigenous communities in this area … we've already lost so much due to the climate crisis," she said. "Now we have a fighting chance." 'Imperative to healing' Crews of planters sowed three million seedlings this spring in Devils Lake, Sharp said. But the success went beyond meeting its planting goal — the project also had its highest number of returning planters from Manitoba First Nations this year. Before planting started in May, Sharp toured communities across the province, carrying 3D-printed seedlings and an arsenal of pictures to show how reforesting Devils Lake is done, hoping to spike interest and recruit new planters. While reforesting Devils Lake is the goal, Sharp said the project also aims to involve First Nations in the forest industry through stewardship, training and employment — and hopefully giving the communities tools needed to eventually start their own planting companies and run crews made entirely up of local planters. "Because there's so much involved in this work and there's a lot of moving parts, it requires people to come back a couple of years to learn the ropes," she said. Moose was one of those people. In the spring of 2024, she was unemployed and signed up for planting on a whim, not expecting much out of the experience, she said. But planting trees outdoors became her solace. "You could be going through the worst time of your life back in what we called 'the real world' … but when you come out here, you become grateful for the littlest of things," she said. The reforestation project turned into an opportunity for Moose to step outside what she described as a cycle of generational trauma her home community, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, has endured after generations of colonization and Canada's residential school system, she said. "There's always someone that's dying or dead ... there is always someone that's struggling with alcoholism, someone struggling with opioids," said Moose. "That is life back home.… When you face tragedy after tragedy, it's hard to get up." Planting trees at Devils Lake gave her a chance to break from that, she said, and she would like to see more First Nations get involved in this kind of project. "This is for the sake of our people," said Moose. With First Nations involved in the decision-making and planting, Sharp said the project has aimed to be part of reconciliation.
