Winnipeg fire crews respond to numerous wildland fires Monday and Tuesday

Winnipeg fire departments responded to numerous significant wildland fires on Monday and overnight on Tuesday.

According to the City of Winnipeg, there were four fires that happened in an eight-hour period of time.

• Roblin Boulevard & Perimeter Highway

just before 5:30 p.m. on Monday, WFPS crews responded to a wildland fire in the area of Roblin Boulevard and the Perimeter Highway. No injuries reported, no damage to structures, and the cause is under investigation.

• Victoria Row

Around 6:45 p.m Monday, crews responded to a grass fire on Victoria Row, near Harris Park. No injuries reported. A detached garage and its contents sustained damage. No damage estimate is available, and the cause is under investigation.

READ MORE: Winnipeg fire crews battle multiple blazes, on high alert for more

• Day Street

That same night, just after 8 p.m., fire crews responded to a grass fire near the intersection of Day Street and Gunn Road. Crews were aided by Winnipeg Police’s Air-1 to aerially locate hotspots. While no damage to structures was reported, some of the area businesses were evacuated as a precaution. Winnipeg Police General Patrol members assisted with evacuating the nearby businesses. No injuries were reported, and the cause is under investigation.

• Whiteshell Avenue

The fourth fire occurred just before 1 a.m. on Tuesday. Fire crews responded to a wildland fire in the area of the Transcona Bioreserve. Crews were aided by Air-1 to aerially locate hotspots. One firefighter sustained minor injuries and was treated on scene. No damage to structures, no evacuations required, and the cause is under investigation.

The city also notes that all open-air fires are temporarily banned due to the extremely dry conditions in the Winnipeg area, and will lift the ban when environmental conditions improve.

READ MORE: ‘Significant burns’ sustained during Transcona brush fire kill two: reports

“These are unprecedented, tinder dry conditions, and we urge members of the community to work with us and refrain from starting any open-air fires, even in approved receptacles such as fire pits,” said Tom Wallace, Deputy Chief of Support Services with WFPS.

“Unless you’re using an outdoor natural gas appliance such as a barbecue, we urge you to not start an open-air fire as dry conditions and winds increase the risk of wildland fires.”