Morning News – July 16

Weather

Sunny. High 23. Humidex 25. UV index 8 or very high.
Tonight – Clear. Low 11.

Early this morning, Environment Canada confirmed that yesterday afternoon an EF-2 tornado with maximum wind speeds 210 km/h created a damage path that was about 5 km long and up to 100 metres wide in southern Barrie.

The tornado tracked from the miniature golf course on Huronia Road and Mapleview Drive (in south Barrie) and continued eastward towards Prince William Way where it caused significant damage on the north side of Mapleview drive. Trees were uprooted or toppled, and at least 10 roofs were removed. The second floor was destroyed or removed from 2 houses. A couple of vehicles were overturned. Roof shingles were damaged or removed from a number of other homes along the damage track from the tornado.

There were 8 injuries as a result of this tornadic thunderstorm.

 

Status of cases in Algoma

There are no active cases of COVID-19 in the Algoma District today.

Immunization Uptake and Coverage in Algoma (Last updated: 9:25 AM, July 12, 2021)

Doses administered to Algoma residents

Total doses administered – 132,013
# of people who are fully vaccinated – 51,931
# of people who have received at least 1 dose – 80,082

79.0% has received at least one dose
79.0% (aged 12+) has received at least one dose
51.2% (aged 12+) are fully vaccinated (received two doses)

 

Northeast Forest Fire Region – There were no new fires discovered in the Northeast region by the afternoon of July 15. There are currently nine active fires across the region, one these, one is being held, three are under control and five are being observed.

Timmins 10 – 136 hectares and is being held.

The fire hazard is mostly low to moderate across the Northeast region, with the exception of the Wawa, Hearst and Kapuskasing areas which are seeing a high to extreme hazard today.

Northwest Forest Fire Region – Thirteen new fires were discovered in the northwest region by the late afternoon of July 15, with more reports yet to be investigated. At the time of this update there are 94 active fires in the region. Thirty-two fires are not under control, seven fires are being held, 25 fires are under control and 30 fires are being observed. Hard work from Initial Attack FireRangers saw a total of 11 fires called out by yesterday afternoon.

Kenora 51 – Fire is not under control at 84,545 hectares.

Red Lake 51 – Being observed and remapped to 45776 hectares

Red Lake 65 – Not under control at 12,352 hectares
Red Lake 68 – Not under control at 21,356 hectares
Red Lake 77 – Not under control at 17,120 hectares

There have been three First Nation communities affected by forest fire smoke: Poplar Hill First Nation (evacuated), and Deer Lake First Nation and Pikangikum First Nation which are ongoing evacuation. Evacuees have been hosted in Thunder Bay, Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Dryden, Sudbury and Cornwall.

ON511 is warning 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

SSM’s annual Rotaryfest is underway this weekend (ending Saturday night), featuring a drive-thru Ribfest and more than a dozen musical acts performing in the parking lot of the former Lowe’s at the corner of Northern Avenue and Great Northern Road.

Former Wawaite Tammy Landy (former editor/publisher of the Algoma News Review) has launched an online petition in the wake of the July 10th collision that resulted in serious injuries to three motorcyclists. There have been a number of collisions in the front of the Timberland General Store and the LCBO Store over the years, including the death of a Hamilton motorcyclist (Jeffory Wolfenden) on July 6th, 2019. (link to petition)