Lightning Fires Strike Rainy River District

(MNR photo)

Some rain is expected in northwestern Ontario today, which could help reduce the number of new fires as well as dampen existing ones.

Lightning strikes ignited about two dozen more fires over the weekend, including five in the Rainy River district.

There was also a human caused blaze at east end of Rainy Lake.

119 fires are still active across the northwest - four in the Rainy River district.

Natural Area Plan Developed

A new Conservation plan for Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake is close to being finalized.

It's being developed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Regional vice-president Chris Maher says the plan is important to the area.

"Certainly Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake is an impressive bio-diverse area and there's huge opportunity," says Maher. "We've been looking forward to it to about ten years now. We think we're at the position where we can afford to move ahead and we have the scientific basis to do so."

Maher says the plan would help protect the area and several plant and animal species from the endangered lists.

Canoeing Capital Challenge

Atikokan is challenging its residents to help build on its moniker as the Canoeing Capital of Canada.

Paula Sanders of the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation says they've created a contest that aims to develop idea or products around the theme.

"There is money set aside if people need some financial help to actually develop one prototype so that we can see what it looks like," says Sanders. "We will also be giving money to those top three ideas to produce as many as them as they can with the money that's allotted so we can sell them to residents and visitors."
The contest will close August 31.

Elections Ontario Readys

The Ontario provincial election is just under two months away.

Elections Ontario, the agency tasked with managing the election, is getting prepared.

Deputy chief electoral officer Loren Wells says for the first time, voters will get the chance to vote by mail.

"It's a special ballot you can apply for in person, by mail, using fax or e-mail," says Wells. "Then you mail it back to either your local returning office or if you applied to the Chief Electoral Officer, then back to our office back here in Toronto."

Wells says Elections Ontario will have its returning offices up and running by September 7.

Minnesota Washing Away Zebra Mussels

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has launched a new weapon against the spread of the invasive zebra mussels.

DNR workers used high-pressure washers to decontaminate boats at three lakes over the weekend.

It intends to move its decontamination units around the state to some of the 50 Minnesota water bodies known to be infested with zebra mussels.