PembinaValley

Severe thunderstorms need rising air, and to get that you need heat, or rather, you need a large difference in temperature between two areas.

Many people associate thunderstorms with a very hot day, but just having one of those does not mean that there is a large difference in temperature.

To get thunderstorms on a hot day, you need to have cool air aloft.

Initiatives in Saskatchewan and Alberta recognize some of the country’s most extensive and unique remaining prairie ecosystems.

There’s a new focus on protecting biodiversity in native prairie grasslands in southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta.

It’s coming in the form of new “key biodiversity area” designations, denoting they’re home to species at risk in this rapidly vanishing landscape.

Saskatchewan's Weekly Crop Report shows 49 per cent of the provincial crop has been seeded, that's up from 31 per cent last week and well ahead of the five-year average of 32 percent.

Crops Extension Specialist Meghan Rosso says pulse crops continue to lead in seeding progress with 78 per cent of field peas seeded, 71 per cent of lentils and 65 per cent of chickpeas now in. 

Three new measles exposure sites in the region have been identified by Manitoba Public Health. 

They are:
Winkler Mennonite Church, 31 Willowdale Cres., Winkler, May 8 from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Gretna Elementary School, Box 90, 622 9th St., Gretna, May 5, 7 and 8 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Bus #38 before and after school, servicing Gretna Elementary School on May 5, 7 and 8 from 7:50 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 3:30 p.m. to 6:20 p.m.

Dealing with a fire on your farm can be both dangerous and devastating. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of fires.

Improper use of burn barrels can easily start fires. People often contribute to the risk of fire by not using proper screens on burn barrels or clearing the grass around the barrel itself.

Local fire fighters have packed up their gear and are out east in the R.M. of Piney helping in the wildfire effort.

As of Thursday morning, the fire had reached 7,886 hectares in size and remained 3.5 kilometres away from the townsite of Woodridge. The fire is 1.3 kilometres away from the townsite of Badger. 

Greg Zimmerman is Chief of Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services and is also Coordinator for the Pembina Triangle Mutual Aid District, which responded to a request for assistance with a task force made up of fire fighters from departments across the region. 

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew declared a state of emergency Thursday to aid the evacuation of a provincial park due to wildfires, one day after the bodies of two people were found in the ashes.

Kinew did not provide details about the man and woman who died in the fire in the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet, a popular lakefront cottage area northeast of Winnipeg.

But he said the deaths mean officials are taking the danger seriously and want additional powers to enforce evacuation orders.

Held at a packed Buttercup Celebration Hall north of the city, the Winkler and District Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual P.W. Enns Business Awards Gala Wednesday evening. Four businesses and a non-profit organization were recognized for their respective impact on the community and its residents.

The winners were:

Business Excellence Award - Tri Koating

Community Builder Award - The Property Brokers

It's been going strong for 35 years, the Ecole West Park School Clean-a-Thon in conjunction with Blue Sky Opportunities. The next one is coming up tomorrow! (May 16th).

It's been a busy week out in the field as farmers continue to work on getting this year's crop in the ground.

Manitoba's weekly crop report shows the provincial crop is now 32 per cent seeded.

Oilseed Specialist Sonia Wilson puts together the weekly crop report, updating seeding progress around the province.