Reeve of Man. community at risk from wildfires lauds funding donation for prevention

ManitobaA southeast Manitoba rural municipality frequently at risk from wildfires has received funding for a community-led initiative to conduct controlled burns aimed at stopping fires in their tracks. $116K will fund equipment, volunteer training CBC News · Posted: Aug 12, 2025 2:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoThe Rural Municipality of Stuartburn is celebrating a major donation aimed at funding fire-prevention efforts. The community, seen here through wildfire smoke in 2013, has faced frequent wildfire-related threats. (Meaghan Ketcheson/CBC)A southeast Manitoba rural municipality frequently at risk from wildfires has received funding for a community-led initiative to conduct controlled burns aimed at stopping fires in their tracks. RM of Stuartburn Reeve Michelle Gawronsky said Tuesday’s announcement of a $116,000 grant from Intact Financial to pay for equipment and volunteer training to conduct prescribed burns will have a lasting impact. “The brush has continued to grow and die off every year, and there’s been nothing to clean it up,” said Gawronsky.”We were very quick to put a burn-ban on, especially seeing what other municipalities were having to live through. Like I say, we’ve been there, done that, and we certainly don’t want to have our community at risk again,” she said.The grant from Intact is a first of its kind for Manitoba and will assist with the operation of Stuartburn Prescribed Burn Association, which is made up of concerned local residents. They just want to keep the community safe, said Gawronsky. “Because they care about the farms and the lands around us, and wildlife, and people’s homes, and people’s lives,” said Gawronsky.Intact is giving out $3.1 million to 19 communities across Canada through its Municipal Climate Resiliency Grants program.Stuartburn administrators invited officials from Intact, provincial politicians, neighbouring mayors and reeves and people from the community to an official announcement of the funding on Tuesday afternoon.