A 55-year-old male from Lake Manitoba First Nation and a 46-year-old man from Fort Alexander face charges of arson after allegedly ignoring fire bans and allowing their burns to get out of control.
According to RCMP, both men were arrested on May 7. The first man, the 55-year-old, was arrested after his controlled burn allegedly caused a wildfire that spread to over 200 acres.
“The Manitoba RCMP reminds everyone to be aware of burning restrictions in many municipalities throughout the province and that officers will arrest and charge individuals who choose to ignore these fire bans,” said the release from RCMP.
The second man arrested that day also allegedly had a controlled burn get out of control and, in his case, the resulting fire burned down a shed and damaged a nearby residence.
“These fires could have been prevented and should not have been started. Lives and communities are being put at risk,” said Cpl. Melanie Roussel of the Manitoba RCMP. “Our officers will strictly enforce all laws related to burning restrictions that are in place across the province; this is for the safety of all Manitobans.”
A list of municipalities with burning restrictions can be found at: https://www.gov.mb.ca/wildfire/burn_conditions.html
