The province is nixing back-country travel on ATVs and other off-road vehicles in areas throughout Manitoba due to concerns about the potential for wildfires.
The Manitoba Wildfire Service says the complete ban kicks off at 8 a.m. Friday, as efforts are being made to prevent further wildfires from burning in a province that was home to 13 ongoing blazes as of Wednesday. Nine of those fires are in the eastern part of the province.
Those who need to access back-country roads via motorized vehicles to get to a remote cottage will need a travel permit from Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures.
Large sections of Manitoba are impacted by the restrictions, including provincial parks like Spruce Woods, Whiteshell and Birds Hill.
The wildfire service said fire permits for the Interlake and eastern regions of the province are cancelled until conditions improve and the dry, windy weather is no longer posing a threat.
Those who don’t comply with the restrictions could face hefty fines — as high as $100,000, depending on how severe the offence is.
Full details about burn restrictions across the province can be found on the province’s website.
