District News

The number of wildfires burning across Northwestern Ontario continues to increase, with 146 active, 53 not under control, five being held, seven under control and 81 being observed, according to the latest update from Ontario Forest Fires (OFF). The closest large fires, Fort Frances 14 in Quetico Provincial Park and […]

Two charities, United Way of Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay Community Foundation, have joined forces to create a fund in support of communities across Northwestern Ontario affected by the devastating wildfires that have raged across the region. According to its organizers, the Northwestern Ontario Wildfire Community Support Fund was created […]

With chickens being notorious for their fragility, heatwaves and poor air quality are making this a challenging summer for district poultry farmers, but not an impossible one. Lacking any sweat glands, chickens cool down primarily by panting and holding out their wings to let air cool their bodies. In heavy […]

The shuttering of Winnipeg’s Community Review means 200,000 households will no longer get the benefit of a free community newspaper delivered to their door. It also means that more than 800 people who deliver the paper and their families will be affected. This is an unforced error that never should […]

Despite some overnight rain and cooler conditions, Northwestern Ontario entered Tuesday with 140 active wildland fires, 47 not under control, six being held, seven under control and 80 being observed. The largest fires remain concentrated in the Thunder Bay-Ignace corridor, with several new starts recorded in the Fort Frances fire […]

THUNDER BAY – There are 157 empty cots set up at the Fort William Gardens. No one had walked into the evacuation centre to register yet when Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response Jill Dunlop were there Saturday, she told reporters at a Toronto press conference […]

Kerry Collins’ dream-job of maintaining a remote angler’s paradise near Armstrong went up in flames last week. About a week later, the lodge and cabin operator is still coming to grips with the fallout of the devastating wildfire that destroyed his livelihood. “All our clients — they’re so heart-broken,” the […]

THUNDER BAY – Chief of Upsala’s Fire Department, Doug Kiezebrink said that while he hopes local leaders don’t have to make the call to send out Alert Ready notifications, he will if needed. Last week, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response Jill Dunlop reminded local leaders that they have the […]

As wildfires continue to rage across Northwest Ontario, destroying homes and sending thick plumes of smoke across Ontario and as far as the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, the province is reaching out to the federal government for help, Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski said Thursday morning. The […]

The president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) says Northern Ontario’s labour shortage cannot be addressed with the same policies being applied in southern Ontario. In an interview with Kenora Miner & News, Rick Dumas said the province should continue discussions with northern leaders after opting out of a […]

Drones are changing the landscape for many industries, and for conservation, they are proving one of the most effective tools in the fight against invasive phragmites. Research from the University of Waterloo reveals that using spray drones, remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), to apply the herbicide Habitat Aqua to areas […]