Morning News – July 26

Weather

A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of showers this afternoon. Local smoke. High 22. Humidex 27. UV index 7 or high.
Tonight – Partly cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers. Local smoke. Low 14.

 

Status of COVID-19cases in Algoma

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

Immunization Uptake and Coverage in Algoma (Last updated: 2:30 PM, July 23, 2021)

Doses administered to Algoma residents

Total doses administered – 144,682
# of people who are fully vaccinated – 63,252 / 55.3%
# of people who have received at least 1 dose – 81,430 /71.2%

Northeast Forest Fire Region

WAW12 – 0.3ha, out
WAW13 – 1.5ha, being held (north of Killala Lake)
WAW14 – 0.2, under control (south of the White Gravel River)

Active Fires	Not Under Control	Held	Under Control	Observed
12	0		5	7

The fire hazard is low to moderate across the Northeast region this afternoon.

 

Northwest Forest Fire Region

Active Fires	Not Under Control	Held	Under Control	Observed
138	46	9	24	59

The forest fire hazard is high with extreme areas in Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, Thunder Bay and Red Lake districts. Nipigon district and the eastern half of Sioux Lookout district have a moderate to low hazard.

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) 2,940 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:

The LDHC Palliative Care Program’s 3rd Annual Memorial Butterfly Release will happen this year in person. Be sure to order your butterflies today.

Confederation College President Kathleen Lynch has announced that the College will welcome Richard Gemmill as its new Vice President, Academic effective today, July 26, 2021.

Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, will be joined by Deepak Anand, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister; Vijay Thanigasalam, MPP for Scarborough-Rouge Park; and Christina Mitas, MPP for Scarborough Centre, to make an announcement about training to help young people start careers in construction at 9 a.m.

Mario Di Tommaso, Deputy Solicitor General, Community Safety and Monique Rolf von den Baumen-Clark, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry will hold a technical media briefing via teleconference to provide an update on the wildland fire situation in Northern Ontario at 9:00 a.m.

Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, will be joined by Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook, Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton, Joseph Mancinelli, International Vice President and Regional Manager of Central and Eastern Canada of LiUNA, and Phil Verster, President and CEO of Metrolinx, to make an announcement about public transit improvements for Hamilton at 10:30 a.m.

Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, will be joined by Andrea Khanjin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and Lindsey Park, MPP for Durham, to make an announcement at 11:00 a.m.

Premier Doug Ford will be joined by Jeremy Roberts, MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean, Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa, and Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital, to make an announcement at 1:15 p.m.

Today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh starts a week-long tour of Indigenous communities. Singh will head to Neskantaga First Nation with NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins–James Bay) and NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa to meet with community members who have been under a boil water advisory for 26 years. Later in the day, Singh will meet with wildfire evacuees in Thunder Bay. Later in the week, Singh will head to Burnaby, Merritt, Kamloops and Penticton.