Morning News – July 20

Weather

Mainly cloudy. 40 percent chance of showers early this morning. Clearing this afternoon. Wind northeast 30 km/h gusting to 50. High 20. UV index 7 or high.
Tonight – Clear. Wind northeast 20 km/h becoming light this evening. Low 9.

 

Status of COVID-19cases in Algoma

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

Immunization Uptake and Coverage in Algoma (Last updated: 10:15 AM, July 19, 2021)

Doses administered to Algoma residents

Total doses administered – 139,885
# of people who are fully vaccinated – 59,061
# of people who have received at least 1 dose – 80,824

70.6% has received at least one dose
79.7% (aged 12+) has received at least one dose
58.2% (aged 12+) are fully vaccinated (received two doses)

 

Northeast Forest Fire Region

Waw007 – 0.1ha, out (Cameron Lake)
WAW008 – 2.8ha (up from 1ha), being held (north of Beeline Lake, east of Killala Lake)
WAW009 – 4.2ha (same as on the 19th) 0.1ha, not under control (west of Eric Lake, Hwy 614)
WAW010 – 2.7ha (just south of WAW007 (Cameron Lake) – A CL415 waterbomber and lead birddog aircraft were on the scene of this 0.9 of a hectare fire. It remains not yet under control at the time of this update (Monday 19, 2021).

WAW11 – 0.1ha (30km east of Marathon) – Out

Active Fires	Not Under Control	Held	Under Control	Observed
12	0	2	3	7

The fire hazard is mostly low to moderate on the eastern half of the region, while areas west of Timmins and Greater Sudbury in the Northeast Region are maintaining a mostly high hazard to extreme fire hazard this afternoon.

 

Northwest Forest Fire Region

Active Fires	Not Under Control	Held	Under Control	Observed
107	32	11	19	45

 

The wildland fire hazard is high to extreme in the southern Nipigon and Thunder Bay districts as well as a few areas of Red Lake district. The rest of the region is low to moderate following scattered amounts of rain.

There have been three First Nation communities affected by forest fire smoke: Poplar Hill First Nation and Deer Lake First Nation (evacuated) and Pikangikum First Nation which are ongoing evacuation. 2,459 evacuees are being hosted in Thunder Bay, Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Dryden, Sudbury, Sioux Lookout, Timmins 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:

At 5:32 a.m. Environment Canada ended the air quality statement for Wawa.

Algoma Public Health (APH) is cautioning anyone who uses street drugs to take extra precautions at this time, as there have been reports of increased opioid-related harms in Algoma. APH is also asking all members of the community to continue their support for residents at risk of opioid poisonings and their loved ones.

Robby Steinhardt, the violinist, co-founder and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Kansas, died last Saturday at the age of 71.

Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, will be joined by Deepak Anand, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister, and Robin Martin, MPP for Eglinton—Lawrence, to make an announcement about a training initiative to help workers impacted by the pandemic at 9 a.m.

Jane McKenna, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues and Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough—Glanbrook, to make an announcement about child welfare redesign and anti-Black racism at 10 a.m.

Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, will be joined by Daisy Wai, MPP for Richmond Hill, as well as members of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Greenbelt Foundation, to make an announcement at 10 a.m.

Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities to make an announcement at 12:45 p.m.

 

Do you remember?

At 10:56 p.m. on July 20th, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong, took his first step on the moon, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”