Firefighters battle a grass fire in Winnipeg on Sunday, April 29, 2018. (@UFFW867 / TWITTER)
WINNIPEG — It was a busy weekend for firefighters in Manitoba as crews battled several wildfires that were sparked in extremely dry and windy conditions.
On Sunday, about 70 firefighters responded to a blaze near Dugald Road and Lagimodiere Boulevard that took over two hours to fully extinguish.
The city later temporarily banned open-air burn permits until environmental conditions improve.
The province on Monday also put numerous travel restrictions into place for much of southeast Manitoba. They stretch from Lake Winnipeg and the Wanipigow River south to the U.S. border, and from PR 302, PTH 12, PR 317, PTH 59 and PR 319 all the way to the Ontario border. Restrictions are also in place in the Mars Hill Wildlife Management Area.
Back-country travel in these areas is only allowed between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Any essential required travel outside of these hours will require a permit until further notice. Burning permits are cancelled, but campfires in approved firepits are allowed, and propane or electric grills can be used for cooking.
