Portage

Environment Canada meteorologist Crawford Luke says air quality warnings and special air quality statements may seem similar, but they represent different levels of risk.

“The air quality warning is more serious than the special air quality statement… it's posing a bigger threat to your health. That kind of idea.”

He adds that this tiered approach applies across the board: warnings always indicate a more serious or immediate danger than statements.

Air quality warnings are in effect for much of Manitoba this weekend as wildfire smoke continues to linger over the region.

Environment Canada says much of the province will be dealing with poor conditions, with Winnipeg expected to see an air quality health index rating of over 10 by Saturday night.

The agency says the very high risk conditions in Winnipeg, as well as Flin Flon in northwestern Manitoba, are expected to last throughout the weekend.

The 2025 wildfire season is already one of the worst on record for Canada and there is a high risk that more fires will break out in August, federal officials said on Friday.

More than 5.5 million hectares of land have burned so far this year, more than double the 10-year average for mid-July.

That is still well behind the record fire season in 2023, when more than 6,000 fires burned more than 15 million hectares of land.

There were 561 fires burning as of Friday, including 69 that were considered out of control.

The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday upheld the sentence handed to one youth offender but overturned another, in parallel judgments that clarify the standard courts should use when determining whether a youth should be sentenced as an adult.

In the two separate cases, the youth, who were 16 and 17 years old at the time of their offences, were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced as adults to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.

A spokesperson for the Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) says fire activity is picking up again in our province, as a result of dry weather over the last couple of days.

Kristin Hayward is the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for MWS. She says 118 active fires are burning in Manitoba. So far this year, there have been 313 fires, well ahead of the 20-year average of 229 by July 17th.

Portage la Prairie's newest residents explored their civic heart during an engaging City Hall tour this Thursday. The Portage Learning and Literacy Centre partnered with the city to welcome attendees through the historic building's doors, revealing architectural gems and modern accessibility upgrades.

Mayor Sharilyn Knox personally guided the group, emphasizing the building's public significance.

A quiet morning quickly turned chaotic in Portage la Prairie as police dealt with a flurry of thefts across the city within a matter of hours.

The first call came in just after 9 a.m. on July 8th when a business on Saskatchewan Ave. W. reported a theft. By the time officers arrived, the suspect was already gone, but surveillance footage gave them a good look at who they were dealing with.

Just as the officer was wrapping up that investigation, another call came in from Sissons Drive.

The community is being asked to help locate 69-year-old Stewart Campbell, who hasn't been seen since the early hours of July 15 and may need medical attention.

Stewart was last seen around 3:30 a.m. that day near the town of Stonewall.

Loved ones and police say he may be confused or disoriented, and there’s growing concern for his well-being.

Described as 5’8” and about 110 lbs, Stewart has shaggy grey hair, blue eyes, and is clean-shaven.

He was last seen wearing a burgundy sweatshirt, light blue jeans, and black work boots.

Environment Canada meteorologist  Crawford Luke says wildfire smoke can definitely have an impact on the development of thunderstorms — especially when it blocks out sunlight and prevents surface temperatures from hitting key thresholds.

“For not all thunderstorms, but a lot of them, when we’re forecasting, we expect them to form once the temperature hits a certain value,” Luke says. “When the smoke is thicker, we know it can block out some of the sunlight and prevent the heat from getting in.”

A cyclist is facing several charges after throwing his bike at a police officer in Portage la Prairie on July 17th.

Just before 6 p.m. yesterday, a General Investigation Service member was out on patrol when he spotted a man riding a bicycle that seemed far too small for him.

The cyclist veered into the road, forcing a nearby vehicle to swerve. Seeing this, the officer activated his emergency lights and tried to pull the man over. Instead of stopping, the man reportedly tried to leave.