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Wild Fires area  growing problem in our nation, encroaching on towns and cities, and destroying most everything in their path.

In a news release today, the federal government announced a new plan to replace important documents for free.

this will include permanent resident cards, Canadian citizenship certificates, Canadian passports and other travel documents that are lost, damaged, destroyed or inaccessible due to wildfires.

Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship notes these measures are designed to simplify the process of replacing these documents for anyone struggling with the fires.

These special measures are in effect until November 30, 2024. If you've lost documentation due to a wildfire, visit the Government of Canada Website

Further Details have become available on the structure fire last Thursday on 4th Ave SE in Dauphin.

Dauphin's Fire Chief Cam Abrey informed us of what took place.

"The fire has been determined to be accidental in nature. There was one injury of an occupant who was transported to Dauphin Hospital for medical attention, and unfortunately the loss of some of the pets of the occupants."

Abrey also mentions that crews were in a tough spot between the flames, and the +30 degree day.

"Crews were on scene for approximately 5 hours in order to bring the fire under control and to ensure that there was no extension that would continue to burn. They remained on scene in the heat of the day. We did have a couple of cases of heat exhaustion with the members as well, so keeping tabs on them and working closely with EMS to make sure they didn't become super-heated"

A large portion of fires in Canada start in the kitchen, and Abrey has some helpful reminders to help mitigate that.

"We would encourage the public to ensure your smoke alarms are in working condition, and that you have sufficient smoke alarms installed throughout your home. We'd also like to remind the public that any time you're using any kind of appliances or you're cooking, to remain in the kitchen and keep an eye on what you're cooking at the time."

On top of that, Abrey recommends unplugging appliances when they're not in use, as electricity still flows through them.

A big thanks to all the emergency crews at this unfortunate event.

We can never offer enough thanks to the people who risk their health and safety to help others experiencing some of the worst days of their lives.

A 23-year-old female from Dauphin has a future court date after a single-vehicle collision on Saturday morning.

At 11:25 on Saturday morning, the Dauphin RCMP, alongside the Dauphin Fire Department, and EMS responded to the collision near the intersection of 1st Avenue NE and 2nd Street NE, in Dauphin. 

A westbound white GMC Acadia left the road to the south which resulted in the driver striking a tree which caused extensive damage to the vehicle. The driver, who was the lone person in the car, was trapped inside as a fire started in the engine area. A passerby used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze and then DFD members extricated the driver from the vehicle. The driver was taken to the Dauphin Regional Health Centre for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver was driving while prohibited and has been issued a future court date. It is suspected that alcohol was a factor in the collision and the investigation continues.

The Dauphin RCMP would like to thank the passersby who stopped and assisted.  Their quick action and stopping the fire prevented further injuries. 

This week is recognized as National Drowning Prevention Week, so the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba gave some tips on drowning prevention.

Dr. Christopher Love is Lifesaving Society Manitoba's Water Smart and Safety Management Coordinator. He said the goal of this week and today is to raise awareness of the problem, and the ways to prevent drowning tragedies from happening.

"Annually every year in Canada we have approximately 450 who die due to drowning, and in Manitoba, it's on average 24 deaths per year. That's just the fatalities, that's not including any injuries that also occur due to drownings across the country."

He said some of the common, standard tips from anyone going around the water are:

  • Never go alone
  • Wear a life jacket when it's appropriate to do so (ie. when boating)
  • Learn how to swim
  • When children are swimming, have active adult supervision
  • When the children are six years of age and under, you should be within arm's reach at all times. 
  • Be sober when around the water

Love also went into more detail when it comes to staying sober whether you're on a boat or just floating around.

"We're not trying to be killjoys and we're not saying don't have fun," said Love. "What we're saying is booze and boating don't mix, alcohol and swimming don't mix. You will become much more likely to become a statistic if you're under the influence when you're in or on the water."

With another very hot week ahead, you're encouraged to enjoy some time on the water; however, do so safely. Stay sober and if you're swimming with young children, make sure they are within arm's reach at all times and always swim with a friend.

The Dauphin Consumers Co-op is turning 85 this year, with celebrations being planned for all of this coming week.

To celebrate the milestone, the public is invited for free coffee and cake at each of the locations, including the Dauphiun Agro and Building Centre on Monday, the food store from 3-5 on Tuesday, and the Main Street and Mountain Road Gas Bars from 10 to noon on Wednesday.

The celebrations will move to the Ste Rose Agro and Home Building Centre on Thursday.

There will also be special events for Co-op Kids club members, including a free family swim from 1:30 to 3:30 on Wednesday at the Parkland Rec Complex, followed by a Hot Dog BBQ from 4-6.

The Ste Rose Splash Park will also host a Free Hot Dog BBQ on Thursday from 4-6.

There will also be a draw throughout the week, where one lucky Co-op member will win a patio lounge set. 

That draw will be made on Friday, July 26th, with entries being accepted at all Co-op locations. 

Carberry will be unveiling their monument soon to honor the 17 dauphin and area citizens who lost their lives just over a year ago.

Ray Muirhead is the Mayor of Carberry, and he's glad his community will honor the people who lost their lives and the emergency services that were on the scene.

"We've got a lot of local people who have donated their time, some concrete base, that being donated, and electrical work to the monument's being donated,  we have 17 trees that have been donated, and we as the town have donated the land"

He also notes that this unfortunate day has deeply linked Dauphin and Carberry.

The unveiling is scheduled for August 11th, and Muirhead invites anyone who can attend. there will also be a public tea afterward for people looking to talk.

Over 11 million dollars will be going to protect vital ecosystems in Manitoba.

This is split into 2 portions, 5.1 million will focus on preventing land conversion and loss of carbon from peat harvesting in the Interlakes region of Manitoba.

the remaining 6.1 million to secure 1,200 hectares of privately owned land prioritizing the maintenance of grasslands, wetlands, and forests.

Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change notes that this is "the largest conservation campaign in Canada’s history, with a goal of reversing biodiversity loss and protecting 30 percent of land and water by 2030."

this funding is part of a 5 billion dollar funding plan to further conservation efforts from 2021 to 2031

Two long-standing cases with ties to the Parkland were back before the courts this week.

A Dauphin man accused of a serious assault from November of 2022 had his case recessed until August 20th.

40-year-old Wayne Becks faces several charges including Aggravated Assault and Uttering Threats, and remains in custody.

And a Winnipeg man arrested following a March 2021 drug bust in the RM of Dauphin also had a new court date set.

33-year-old Jory Rowe is set to return to court on July 23rd. 

Snorkelers with Parks Canada have been hunting for Zebra mussels, the reason Clear Lake has been closed for the season, and they have been found.

During a survey, a live adult zebra mussel was found, as well as a partial shell.

This, along with environmental DNA in water samples, shows that this invasive species has indeed built a presence in the Lake.

The next step is to install an impermeable curtain around the boat cove and pier area to isolate the mussels from the rest of the lake.

Potash is being considered as a means to eradicate this invasive species, but this choice needs more testing and consideration of its environmental impact.

A technical briefing is scheduled for next week that will provide further detail on this situation, and the efforts going into solving it.

Roblin's Chamber Street Fair goes on Saturday along Main Street.

It starts with a pancake breakfast at 9 and is followed up by business and food vendors, a farmers market, and kids activities.

There is no admission cost to attend.

 

Two people were recently charged after using their paddleboards on Clear Lake.

At this time, personal watercraft use on Clear Lake is prohibited and can lead to a maximum fine of $25,000. The two individuals who were charged also had their paddleboards seized.

Park Wardens are asking that if you see someone using a paddleboard or any other personal watercraft on bodies of water within Clear Lake, call them at 1-877-852-3100.