FWFN Residents Evacuated

There are about 170 residents of the Fort William First Nation who are spending the night away from home.   They have been evacuated and are being put up in a local hotel due to flooding.    Chief Georjann Morriseau says the situation will be reviewed in the morning after the overnight rain.  She also says there are numerious road closures in the community due to washouts.  

LRCA Issues Flood Warning

The city is now under a flood warning from the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority.   The warning also includes all the municipalities surrounding Thunder Bay.  The Authority says 50 to 60 millimetres  of rain  has already fallen and another 40 millimetres is forecast to fall this evening and overnight.  It says flooding is imminent or already occurring with the the Authority's area of responsibility.

FWFN Declares Emergency

The Fort William First Nation is in a state of emergency.   Chief Georjann Morriseau says flooding of homes in the community and washed out roads forced her to sign today's declaration.

Road Washouts The Result Of Heavy Rain

The Ontario Provincial Police are warning of potential road washouts in the area, saying that Highway 527 about eight and a half kilometers from Highway 11/17 is washing out, but still passable. Elsewhere, Mountain Road at Tuxedo Drive is washed out, and no traffic is able to pass through.

City Infrastructure Running Properly

Following steady rain over the last day, and more rain coming, city staff are monitoring city infrastructure. General Manager of Infrastructure and Operations Darrell Matson, says that everything is running how it should be, and that the sewer systems are running properly. The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority has issued a ‘Flood Watch’, which indicates the potential for flooding.

City Residents Prepare For Flooding

With the excessive amounts of rain, Thunder Bay residents are preparing for flooding. Mary Street resident Rod Skirving says water is already making its way into his basement. Skirving says they still have some of their stuff in storage from the flood last year.

Kiptoo Wins Ten Mile...Again

Gilbert Kiptoo

Gilbert Kiptoo, Of Kenya,  is the winner of this year's Firefighter Ten Mile Road Race, running the race in just over 51 minutes. Dominique Aulagnon was the first local runner to cross the finish line in just over 53 minutes, and says the race was a bit grueling because of the weather. Aulagnon says the race was exciting, and is happy with his results.

Ontario Parks Reminds Campers Not To Drink

Ontario Parks is offering some much needed advice to campers this weekend. Bruce Van Staalduinen says there is an important drinking ban in place at most provincial parks. Van Staalduinen also recommends inspecting all your camping gear to prevent any problems once you get to the campsite.

Ten Mile Road Race Underway

Despite the rain and poor weather, the Firefighters Ten Mile Road Race is underway. The race started with a moment of silence for the victims of the Boston bombing. Over one thousand runners are taking part in this year's event.

It Takes Two To Help At Risk Youth

The CEO of a youth leadership institute is currently riding his bike across Canada in support of at risk youth. Derrick Shirley will be in the city today to promote his organization's signature "It Takes Two Program", that has police officers and at risk youth riding on tandem bikes. Shirley is scheduled to be in thunder bay from today until Wednesday.