Morning News – July 30

Weather

Mainly sunny. Wind becoming west 20 km/h late in the morning. High 21. UV index 8 or very high.
Night – Mainly cloudy. A few showers beginning early in the evening. Wind southwest 20 km/h becoming light in the evening. Wind becoming southwest 20 gusting to 40 after midnight. Low 11.

 

Status of COVID-19 cases in Algoma

There are two active cases of COVID-19 in the Algoma District today (Sault Ste. Marie and Area).

Immunization Uptake and Coverage in Algoma (Last updated: 3:00 PM, July 26, 2021)

Doses administered to Algoma residents

Total doses administered – 150,810
# of people who are fully vaccinated – 68,716 /60%
# of people (12+) who have received at least 1 dose – 82,094 /80.9%

Northeast Forest Fire Region

WAW12 – 0.3ha, out
WAW13 – 1.5ha, out
WAW14 – 0.2, out

Active Fires	Not Under Control	Held	Under Control	Observed
11	0		1	10

The forest fire hazard ranges from low to moderate across the region today.

 

Northwest Forest Fire Region

Active Fires	Not Under Control	Held	Under Control	Observed
146	55	7	23	60

The wildland fire hazard ranges from high to extreme in the Kenora District. A full range of conditions – from low to extreme – exists in Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Dryden, Fort Frances, Thunder Bay and Nipigon Districts. Hazard conditions are expected to rebound quickly.

There are currently two specialists and five CL415’s from Quebec, 101 firefighters and staff from Mexico, two firefighters from Prince Edward Island, 12 personnel from Nova Scotia, 18 personnel from New Brunswick, one specialist from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, 28 staff from Alberta, 20 personnel from Australia as well as 15 personnel and two CL415’s from Newfoundland assisting the province of Ontario.

There have been First Nation communities affected by forest fire smoke: Poplar Hill FN and Deer Lake FN (evacuated) and Pikangikum First Nation (on hold). North Spirit Lake and Cat Lake FN’s (evacuation ongoing) 3,136 evacuees are being hosted in Thunder Bay, Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Dryden, Sudbury, Sioux Lookout, Timmins, Sault Ste Marie, Toronto, and Cornwall.

ON511 continues to warn that along Hwy 105 (north of Ear Falls and Red Lake area), visibility can be reduced due to smoke from nearby forest fires. Please make sure your headlights are on and use caution travelling Hwy 105 northerly to Red Lake.

Restricted Fire Zone boundaries updated to include Thunder Bay and portions of Nipigon and Wawa districts

Due to high to extreme forest fire hazard conditions, effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 10, the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry has issued updated boundaries for a Restricted Fire Zone in the Kenora, Fort Frances, Dryden and Thunder Bay Districts and portions of the Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Nipigon and Wawa Districts.  The Restricted Fire Zone will be in effect until further notice. Outdoor fires are banned. Portable gas stoves may still be used BUT must be handled with extreme care.

 

News Tidbits:

Dean Sayers has been re-elected as chief of Batchewana First Nation. Councillors are Greg Agawa, Harvey Bell, Luke McCoy, Mark McCoy, Gary Roach, Melissa Sayers, Trevor Sayers Sr.  and Ann Tegos.

The Ontario government is investing $11.5 million over three years in two specialized intervention teams in Durham Region and the City of Toronto to protect children and youth from sex trafficking. The new Children at Risk of Exploitation (CARE) Units pair child protection workers with police officers on the frontlines to identify and locate children and youth who are being sex trafficked, connect victims and families to services, and investigate and hold offenders accountable.

$3 million is being invested to create a virtual training hub that will help construction supervisors learn the skills they need to mentor and train their team. The funding will also go toward the creation of an online job bank that will help up to 200 laid-off and unemployed workers find good jobs in construction.

Government Announcements:

Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, will be joined by John Yakabuski, MPP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, as well as Tom Peckett, Mayor of the Township of McNab/Braeside, to make an announcement at 9 a.m.

Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, and John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, to make an announcement about Ontario Place at 10 a.m.