Ministry of Natural Resources, Fire Marshal, have this responsibility in unorganized townships but declined Robinson’s bid
WESTERN MANITOULIN—The fire chief for the Robinson Township Volunteer Fire Department, along with a municipal leader from a neighbouring community, are both perplexed as to why the province did not approve a request to extend a fire ban in Robinson when conditions are so dry.
“‘No’ was the message we received, that they wouldn’t support our application,” stated Doug Wismer, Robinson Township fire chief. “We had a total fire ban in place from July 14 to 28. Usually, we receive a 10-day window for this sort of ban, and because it can sometimes take a little time to get approval we had applied a little before the end of the previous ban in place. But they simply refused this time and said they would not extend the fire ban.”
Mr. Wismer explained that being designated as an unorganized township, “we deal with an advisor with the Ontario Fire Marshal office, but they get their heads together with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) before a decision is made on a fire ban request.”
“It is terribly dry here and everything is brown. It is really bad,” stated Mr. Wismer. “We haven’t received six inches of rainfall since April. We have had two little showers, one that there was a fairly good rainfall for about five minutes. We received about two and a quarter inches of rain but the ground is so dry it sucked up the moisture. Within a couple of days we were right back to where we were when the fire ban was on.”
Mr. Wismer said during this year’s fire season the first application made by Robinson was approved right away. “We used to have to demand the MNRF to put a fire ban on, but we received good cooperation the first application we made this year. Now for this application we received a flat-out no. You would think they would rely on the local group to tell them what the conditions are, but obviously they were not thinking that in this case.”
“I’m worried because the winds around here are generally west. If we receive any type of a fire, we are in serious trouble,” said Mr. Wismer. “For example, Silver Lake is exposed to west winds and on Little Lake Huron Road there are many cottagers as well. In the case of Little Lake Huron Road there is only one road in and out, which is in poor condition to drive, and in the case of a fire it would be difficult enough just letting people know there was a fire. Not only could cottages be lost but so could lives.”
“We are very unhappy with the performance of the OFM to protect our township and our residents in a case of fire,” stated Mr. Wismer. “And I have received many calls from local residents asking me why the fire ban is off.”
Ken Noland, reeve of neighbouring Burpee and Mills township said, “Silver Water hasn’t even had the little rain we have had here in our township this summer, and it is extremely dry here. So, it makes absolutely no sense that the OMF cancelled the request for the total fire ban to be extended in Robinson, which is a neighbouring municipality to us. Especially when Robinson made this request. Someone needs a slap in the head for this decision.”
