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Woodland Caribou - Recent Forest Fires

August 24, 2018
WCPP STAKEHOLDERS AND WCPP ENTHUSIASTS

General summary of fire situation:
  • Fire behaviour is increasing again
 
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There is significant smoke in Manitoba from these fires and the ones near Aiken's Lake in Manitoba on the NE wind. It is very heavy and ground level today.

I will be going up to Pakwash Lake tomorrow so I may get some different views of the smoke and fires.

Claire, thank you for the continuing updates on the conditions.

Karin
 
According to the interactive fire mapping from both Ontario and Manitoba there is a new fire (RED189) recently ignited right on the border,just to the west of Artery. Not good news for anyone heading to the Bloodvein.

Although the forest ecology needs these fires to regenerate I can't help but feel they are bad news for the Caribou. If they have to leave the park in search of mature forest they will run up against more human disturbance such as roads and snowmobile trails which make life more difficult.
 
It certainly does not help that the Aiken's fire has grown to 60,000 hectares. That area and east has been significantly hit the past few years.
 
August 25, 2018

I am having difficulties posting updates. I can only manage to post 3 or 4 lines and the rest of the report won't show. If someone can assist me with this, I would much appreciate it.
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Please Note: I will be unable to post Fire Updates or Route Closure Updates for the next few days on account of going in the park for a route maintenance trip. For updates until my return on Friday August 31, please contact:

Kent Fraser
A/Park Superintendent
Woodland Caribou Prov. Park
(807) 727-2835
Kent.Fraser@ontario.ca
 
Saturday night here on Pakwash Lake we had a series of thunderstorms go through but with little rain. Sunday afternoon there was a new column of smoke over a ridge on the west side of Pakwash lake and while out fishing I could here the water bombers going at it. Despite that the single column grew into a much wider, so it was 5 hectares in no time due to how dry it is hear. However, overnight we had heavy rain and more thunderstorms so I am hoping the rain put it out, otherwise today's 40kph NW wind will blossom it. When it calms down enough to get out on the lake I will have a look.

Smoke was heavy here yesterday too but we had low cloud and drizzle this morning so not back now.

Karin
 
The restricted fire zone (RFZ), fire ban, was lifted last Wednesday.

As of September 1st 2018, all routes are opened in WCPP.

Please note that fires are not OUT. In discussions with AFFES the threat to human safety has been minimized, with that said, the risk is not minimized.

Be safe if venturing in the area and/or remind all of your guests these are active fires and to maintain situational awareness.

Any questions please send email at woodland.caribou.mnr@ontario.ca or phone the park office at (807) 727-1329
 
[FONT="&amp]WCPP STAKEHOLDERS AND WCPP ENTHUSIAST [/FONT]

[FONT="&amp]All routes and lakes have been opened for paddlers. Fire behaviour has diminished to allow for ALL canoe routes to be opened.[/FONT][FONT="&amp] [/FONT]
[FONT="&amp] [/FONT]
[FONT="&amp]Thank you for your continued patience and acceptance during this summer. The decision to monitor these fires and allow the fires to naturally run its course is not an easily acceptable verdict. Fires have impacts; financial impacts, vacation impacts, canoe route impacts etc. Allowing these fires to burn as they have for millennia is one unique management feature at Woodland Caribou Provincial Park. A management feature in hopes for creating a healthier ecosystem where fire is allowed to manage the landscape as it once did. [/FONT]

[FONT="&amp]A genuine thank you for your co-operation throughout this summer as these impacts played themselves out in our lives which allowed WCPP forest to do as it wills and renew itself. [/FONT]
[FONT="&amp] [/FONT]
[FONT="&amp]Continuing, thank you to the Aviation Forest Fire and Emergency Services for their dedication to providing their services. Their devotion to providing updates on the fire situation within WCPP allowed for informed decisions. As well for their professional services and value protection on structures located within the park. This season would have presented many challenges. Also, thank you to those who have proactively established value protection sprinklers on your facility (FireSmart); these efforts allow for quicker deployment of protection and efficiencies on Ontario
 
I am having difficulties posting updates. I can only manage to post 3 or 4 lines and the rest of the report won't show. If someone can assist me with this, I would much appreciate it.

This site has apparently been having problems with apostrophes, quotation marks, and maybe some other punctuation when people type a post in a word processor and then paste it here. If that's done the post cuts off at the first problematic punctuation. The solution appears to be either omit those punctuations or type the response directly into this forum.

Although I'm not making any canoe trips this year I appreciate you posting updates for everyone. I have some friends heading down the Bloodvein and was relieved to see the situation calm down just in time for their trip.

Alan
 
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