Winnipeg lifts fire ban after some rain, colder weather
2-week ban went into effect on May 5, but won't be renewed.
A fire ban that was in place in the City of Winnipeg has expired.
The city said in a release Monday that the ban barring residents from using some barbecues, among other activities, will not be renewed.
The two-week ban went into effect on May 5 amid a higher-than-normal number of grass fires earlier this spring, according to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.
Open fires, backyard fire pits, fireworks and fire pits in city parks as well as the use of solid fuel-burning appliances were not allowed during the two-week period.
"The conditions right now didn't lead to extending that fire ban," said Lisa Gilmour, assistant chief of community risk reduction with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.
"We've got some precipitation, the temperatures aren't as hot, the winds aren't as strong, and the precipitation … was over an extended period of time and a lot of it was kind of able to be absorbed into the ground."
Gilmour said conditions are still drier than usual. The city is urging people to use all fire pits and outdoor cooking appliances with caution and follow local regulations.
A map showing the Manitoba municipalities where fire bans are in place can be found on the province's website.
With files from Cameron MacLean