Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) crews responded to a number of significant wildland fire incidents this past weekend, including:
Charleswood Road
At approximately 20:07 on Friday, May 4, WFPS crews responded to a report of two fires southwest of Charleswood Road. The first crew arrived to find multiple spot fires, including one in a farmer’s field nearby. No injuries reported, no damage to structures, no evacuations required. The cause is under investigation.
1500 block of Regent Avenue West
At approximately 23:15 on Friday, May 4, WFPS crews and Winnipeg Police responded to a report of a small brush fire at the rear of businesses in the 1500 block of Regent Avenue West. Two adult males were located in the field suffering from significant burns. The two males were transported to hospital; however, both succumbed to their injuries. The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) is investigating.
70 Block of Promenade Des Intrepides
At approximately 14:59 on Sunday, May 6, WFPS crews responded to a grass fire in the area of Fort Gibraltar in St. Boniface. No injuries reported, no damage to structures, no evacuations required, and the cause is under investigation.
Wilkes Avenue
At approximately 15:09 on Sunday, May 6, WFPS crews responded to a large grass fire along the rail line on Wilkes Avenue, which extended from Kenaston Boulevard to the Perimeter Highway. No injuries reported. Several hydro poles, a fence and building materials were damaged. No damage estimate is available. The cause is under investigation.
2000 Block of Hoka Street
At approximately 22:45 on Sunday, May 6, WFPS crews responded to a wildland fire in the area of the Transcona Bioreserve. Crews aided Winnipeg Police General Patrol Members, as well as Winnipeg Police’s Air-1 to aerially locate hotspots. No injuries reported, no evacuations required, no damage to structures, and the cause is under investigation.
Please note that all open-air fires are temporarily prohibited due to the extreme dry weather conditions in the Winnipeg area which increases the risk of dangerous fires, such as grass, brush, and wildfires. The ban will be lifted when environmental conditions improve.
WFPS and WPS encourage all residents to be safe and also active in reporting suspicious or irresponsible behaviour by phoning 911. Do not approach active fire incidents – it is dangerous to do so, and you put yourself at great risk as conditions can rapidly change.