You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience found only in a handful of habitats in Ontario was vanishing at an alarming rate – until a rescue team that included researchers from the University of Guelph intervened.   That story is captured in the new documentary Butterflies on the Brink: The Story of the Mottled Duskywing which will have its public premiere this October.  the team has been working to reintroduce the mottled duskywing back to the Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron.   researchers attempted to raise thousands of duskywings to reintroduce them into their natural habitat The resulting documentary captures the setbacks of the team “The butterflies are alive and well,” Norris says “As one of the larger sites reached capacity we started seeing them in places in the park we had never seen them in before This was the first year that we didn’t introduce new individuals and all signals point to a sustainable population.”  Duskywing numbers declined as development decimated their oak savannah and tallgrass prairie homes declined with them due to overgrazing by white-tailed deer.   In 2020, U of G researchers were awarded federal funding to reintroduce the duskywing to two locations: Pinery Provincial Park on southern Lake Huron and Norfolk County on Lake Erie Funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance grant the restoration project was part of a broader initiative to build university research collaborations with industry or non-profit partners U of G worked with Natural Resource Solutions Inc. Norris says all of the partners have been crucial.  “The film’s producers at Pinegrove Productions took a risk with us because we didn’t know if the project would be successful,” Norris says.   He adds, “It all came together because of the foresight Jessica Linton had in bringing everyone together. This would not have happened without the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, who really took the lead in the rearing, and Wildlife Preservation Canada who helped monitor the population at the Pinery.”  The butterflies’ recovery has made researchers optimistic about their future restoration projects They will now work on restoring the duskywing in Norfolk County a challenging location as one of the sites is unlike the established habitat at the Pinery.   “This would be a second milestone because we’re reintroducing this endangered butterfly to a site that not long ago didn’t even exist,” Norris says.   Knowledge from this study has helped researchers hone their rearing protocol their collaborations with multiple organizations and their technical skills in working with butterflies in captivity The team will use this experience as they turn their attention to other threatened butterflies.   “Our next goal is the frosted elfin,” Norris says “We’re putting a grant together to reintroduce this butterfly species into Canada which disappeared completely from Canada over 30 years ago.” As the only researchers in Canada working on the active reintroduction of butterflies Norris and his team have challenging years ahead But their efforts are crucial for building a biodiverse and sustainable future Tickets for screenings at Princess Twin Cinemas in Waterloo can be purchased at the links below members of the cast and crew will host a Q&A for viewers to learn more about their story.   Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience A hospitality veteran turns the tables on all-American cuisine with some culinary innovation from a local talent Hospitality and endurance are fitting symbols for Holladay The ebullient entrepreneur who returned to her native state after living in Charleston was set on opening a restaurant where the community would feel at home everything is about celebrating the Lowcountry named because it’s located on what was once the largest pineapple farm in the United States The building housing the restaurant was a beloved funeral home “[It] had been here since the 1950s (it was on the Historic Registry) and with the new buildings going up the neighbors were upset because they were watching their community change Holladay set about turning the restaurant into an homage to old Florida the dining room is a treasure trove of a bygone era While the look may harken to the days of old Florida An all-female executive team was built with Beverage Manager Nicole DeLucia-Barney and Chef Naomi Freeman running things “I wanted an all-female team here,” says Holladay female influences run rampant and cross generations I learned that she was from the same part of Florida where my grandmother was from and where I spent a lot of time growing up,” she says the trio looked to their own families for some of the food and beverage offerings The menu takes cues from Chef Freeman's mother incorporating some of her recipes and De-Lucia Barney paid homage to Holladay's grandmother with a signature cocktail (others are named for historic Orlando touchpoints) The influence even extends to the restaurant’s interior design which showcases pecky cypress salvaged from the home of Orlando’s famed entrepreneur “I love feeling that energy,” says Holladay like the pineapples that survived the freeze Holladay too has endured a set of challenges including Covid-19 and a breast cancer diagnosis She's also overcome the naysayers who thought she and her team would fail and others who think her time would be better spent home with her children preferring to admire the golden glow of a full dining room on any given night knowing that she’s contributing to her community “I created The Pinery to bring a sense of self to a community that felt they were losing that I want everyone to feel special when they come here—that’s why we built this place.”  Subscribe to our newsletter to stay on the top of the MICHELIN Guide's best restaurants, plus chef interviews, recipes, travel stories, and more. Nancy DePalma is the Deputy Digital Editor of The MICHELIN Guide What the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors Saw in 2025 Whether it’s your first time in a fine dining restaurant or your fiftieth these tips from our seasoned MICHELIN Guide Inspectors will help you get it right — your way When you want to dress up and enjoy a night out on the town Bib Gourmand Pierozek brings people together for delicious From listening bars to neighbourhood restaurants explore all the top recommendations from Chishuru’s Adejoké Bakare One of the most prominent chefs serving Indian cuisine talks India and his New York The Mexican capital takes center stage alongside the culinary world's top talents From Texas Barbecue to Mexico City's cutting-edge dining these new MICHELIN Guide hot spots promise unforgettable vacations and world-class cuisine These are the best lake vacations for a summer break from Lake Tahoe in the US to Lake Como in Switzerland and the MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and bolt holes to bed down in when you visit where do fashion’s biggest names retreat for a bite and a bed We imagine the post-Gala sanctuaries of the chicest attendees these iconic chefs mentor professional chefs who have an ego Who knew brisket and biscuits could be so good From tartan fabrics and stag antler furnishings to rare Scotch whiskies and castle views you'll have no doubt which country you're in when staying at these Michelin-Key hotels she has championed America’s farm-to-table movement for 54 years The self-proclaimed “unofficial talent scout” shares his local favorites from the city he calls home Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels \u2018Why isn\u2019t anyone celebrating Florida?\u2019\" named because it\u2019s located on what was once the largest pineapple farm in the United States \u201c[It] had been here since the 1950s (it was on the Historic Registry) and with the new buildings going up \u2018Let\u2019s make this a win-win.\u2019\" \u201cI wanted an all-female team here,\u201d says Holladay I learned that she was from the same part of Florida where my grandmother was from and where I spent a lot of time growing up,\u201d she says The influence even extends to the restaurant\u2019s interior design which showcases pecky cypress salvaged from the home of Orlando\u2019s famed entrepreneur \u201cI love feeling that energy,\u201d says Holladay knowing that she\u2019s contributing to her community \u201cI created The Pinery to bring a sense of self to a community that felt they were losing that I want everyone to feel special when they come here\u2014that\u2019s why we built this place.\u201d  Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go Founder and Co-Owner | The Pinery The Pinery in Ivanhoe Village comfortably dwells among dual worlds It is intensely personal yet welcoming to one and all It is brand new yet as old as the pineapple fields that predate this urban landscape It is upscale yet relaxed and community focused Orlando native Carol Holladay built The Pinery within the Lake House apartments a luxury address on the shores of Lake Ivanhoe to be a place of refuge in which to explore the state’s endless bounty every morsel of food and craft cocktail has a story that enriches the dining experience “The Pinery is a celebration of Florida,” Holladay says of the 150-seat dining spot that opened in June 2021 The Pinery was born amid a pandemic that knocked the world of its axis and a breast cancer battle that threatened to derail all of Holladay’s dreams Just weeks after leaving her job as a manager of the Tap Room at Dubsdread she found a lump in her left breast and was eventually diagnosed with cancer She is an unshakable best friend to a lucky circle of people that includes her interior designer Janel Dagon beverage director Nicole Barney and social media director Lindsy Hardin-Deal She has handpicked this mostly female team alongside her irreplaceable business partner developer Robert Finfrock- one of the few men in the inner circle- to create a space where guests feel welcome and employees feel valued The Pinery owes its future to Florida’s past Guests step inside to see a stunning Southern design element called pecky cypress The wood comes by its texture naturally and The Pinery’s pecky cypress comes from the home of Orlando business trailblazer Lisa Hawley who opened the Orange Blossom Playhouse in 1961 Another artifact of Orlando history is a bronze barrier that began life as a mezzanine railing in the First National Bank of Orlando in 1928 The pineapple-heavy art was carefully curated by Holladay and her team and opens a window on Central Florida’s past as an agricultural giant there really was a pineapple farm on Lake Ivanhoe “Every detail of The Pinery is a wonderful mix of Florida; from our menu and decorative details to the warm hospitality that will greet you at the front door,” Holladay says 295 NE IVANHOE BLVD. | SUITE A | ORLANDO, FL 32804 | PHONE: 407-377-7576 | THEPINERYORLANDO.COM speaks to the Douglas County Board of Commissioners on Jan A judge in Castle Rock has rejected an effort by 106 residents to stop an apartment complex from being built near Parker clearing the way for construction to begin District Court Judge Gary Kramer ruled Nov 22 that Douglas County commissioners did not abuse their discretion when they rezoned The Pinery area to allow for apartments “The board properly considered the applicable criteria and there is evidence in the record to support the board’s approval of the rezoning application,” the judge wrote Ulysses Development Group plans to build 220 “workforce housing” apartments on 35 acres at the intersection of State Highway 83 and Scott Avenue Ulysses expects it to serve county workers South Metro Fire employees and retail workers about 200 residents in the area told the Douglas County Commission they were opposed and more than 25 testified at a lengthy hearing Though the idea had been rejected by the county’s planning commission the county commission approved it in a 2-1 vote 106 of those neighbors sued and asked Kramer to stop the project “The development would stand in stark contrast to the character of The Pinery,” they wrote “Its character is defined as comprised entirely of low-density Commissioners and Ulysses asked Kramer to reject that lawsuit “UDG is committed to providing high-quality housing opportunities to Colorado’s communities and with this decision we can once again work toward addressing Douglas County’s deeply acknowledged need for workforce housing,” said Ulysses partner Connor Larr added it was “pleased” to see Kramer confirm that the county’s rezoning process was sound A construction commencement date for the project has not been set The plaintiffs were represented by attorneys Eric Liebman Erin Scott and Vikrama Chandrashekar with Moye White in Denver Ulysses was represented by Andrew Peters at Otten Johnson Neff & Ragonetti in Denver Douglas County was represented by Christopher Pratt and Kelly Dunnaway in the County Attorney’s Office along with William Tuthill at WATLegal in Arvada Justin covers litigation, white-collar crime and other news. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and previously reported for The Denver Post, The Oklahoman and The Topeka Capital-Journal. [email protected] © 2025 BusinessDen - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Police are investigating a potential homicide after a human head was found in a freezer in Colorado Deputies from Mesa County Sheriff's Office responded to a call regarding a suspicious incident on Pinyon Road, The Pinery, near Denver on Friday, January 12. A person, who wasn't identified, discovered a bag possibly containing human remains in a deep freezer at the property after they responded to a social media post about free items there A statement from police issued on January 12 reads: "Persons at the address cleaning out the recently sold property discovered possible human remains inside the residence." Officers confirmed the body part found was a severed human head It isn't known if authorities have discovered the identity of the deceased person yet A neighbor told Western Slope Now that a mother and son lived at 2988 Pinyon Road to a cardiac arrest as a result of a COVID-19 infection in 2021 according to death records obtained by the news outlet The identities of anyone who lived in the property haven't been officially confirmed by authorities An unidentified neighbor told Western Slope Now: "As far as I can gather The former occupant allegedly moved out and sold the house on the same day Exactly when the new homeowners moved in isn't clear "The lady who had purchased the house posted online for people to come and get the free stuff," they said The neighbor said they were approached by someone who came to collect the deep freezer in the garage She said the person was cleaning out the freezer when they discovered a black bag inside from which a "human head fell out." She also claimed there was "animal meat" on top of the freezer although this also hasn't been confirmed by officials Footage from the scene shows several investigators in personal protective equipment at the property as well as leftover belongings strewn over the front garden that had been left behind by the former occupants Police haven't confirmed if any other body parts have been discovered at the property Mesa County Sheriff's Office said they believe this is an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community Newsweek has contacted Mesa County Sheriff's Office for comment via email Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Ohio — Paddlers can now travel through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) and into Cleveland after a project years in the making removed the Brecksville Dam officials from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park have announced built in the early 1950s for industrial use built in 1827 to divert water from the Cuyahoga into the newly constructed Ohio & Erie Canal allowing the river to flow freely for the first time in over 190 years The Brecksville Dam has been a major obstacle in the Cuyahoga River “Organizations and individuals throughout the region have been working for decades to rewrite the narrative about the Cuyahoga River from a source of shame and a symbol of environmental degradation to a source of pride and a symbol of renewal We made it a point to align our goals with the phenomenal work that has made the Cuyahoga River the success story that it is today,” said CVNP Superintendent Craig Kenkel in a statement about the completion of the project The section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail closest to the river remains closed The next step in the project is to design and install a pump at the location where the Pinery Feeder Damn had provided water to the Ohio & Erie Canal The canal section between Wilson Feed Mill and Rockside Road in Valley View is designated as a Historical Landmark This section includes the restored Lock 38 in front of Canal Exploration Center The canal will remain dry until the pump is installed in 2021 which will restore the water source to this important historical resource The park will focus on improving the condition of the canal during this time The removal of the dams is a major milestone in achieving the "Wild and Scenic Rivers" designation and getting the river de-listed as an "Area of Concern." In 2016 the CVNP began a focused five-year effort to restore the condition and reputation of the Cuyahoga River within the national park by working with a variety of partners to create the Cuyahoga River Water Trail Removing the dams is expected to bring significant improvements in water quality Dig into Southern-inspired dishes at The Pinery Over 100 different neighborhoods are quilted together within the city’s zip code The eclectic Ivanhoe Village has a similar patchwork identity the land was one of the largest pineapple farms in the United States; today the artistic enclave houses a collection of antique stores locally-owned shops and specialty eateries it is best to take a step back to see the beauty of a quilt That’s exactly what Carol Sizer Holladay a former longtime manager at the Tap Room at Dubsdread did when she opened The Pinery in June of 2021 The restaurant is a mirror of Ivanhoe Village: The name pays homage to the land’s history (pineapple farms were called pineries) and the green and gold color scheme is another elegant callback The interior is decorated with antique postcards magazine covers and images of the original pineapple farm; the pecky cyprus paneling that accents the space came from Lisa Hawley’s house who was one of the first female entrepreneurs in Orange County late work meetings that turn into drinks and girls enjoying a GNO “The community has really embraced us,” shares Holladay “We truly feel like we’re part of the neighborhood.” A selection of cocktails make for a perfect Golden Hour toast Under the direction of Executive Chef Steve Mattix the seasonal menu is quintessential Florida: It’s seafood-heavy with a southern influence relying on ingredients from many local purveyors DF Bakery and Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream The “Social Eats” portion features some of The Pinery’s best dishes but also comes with a mission: to create community through food Try the Conch Fritters and The Pinery Platter cheese (including homemade pimento cheese) and unique accoutrements such as boiled-peanut hummus Kale Salad and Fish Tacos are all knockouts Entrée highlights include the Smash Burger For a dish that celebrates the restaurant’s namesake crop pineapple gracefully ties The Pinery back to the roots of the land the restaurant is located on—and it also symbolizes hospitality It’s about the welcome and the community we’ve created with the neighborhood,” shares Holladay “I love people and I want everyone to have a great time together.” Whether or not you live in Ivanhoe Village High-end meets a casual lakeside elegance you may not find anywhere else in Orlando taking over from the old Mesa 21 location less than two years ago has found its footing in this bustling area of Downtown Orlando The compact building’s western-facing picture windows offer stellar views of the lake bordering on its other side by the newly completed I-4 with tranquil lake views in the foreground and busy motorists whizzing to and fro in the distance there’s a lovely playground situated in a neighboring park where it isn’t uncommon to watch families with young children play or see patrons taking a post-meal stroll Russell’s offers their Russell’s Royale with cheese and the toasted brioche bun makes the perfect burger bookends for this impressive and classic stack From the service to the ambiance to the quality of every dish served And no Ravenous trip is complete without trying their Pub Burger a unique (and somewhat secret) Meyer natural Angus beef that is heavily seasoned and topped with blue cheese Served with perfectly proportioned and seasoned truffle fries and a house-made pickle this is a burger you’ll crave for years to come Eat it inside for a more upscale experience; try it on the terrace for some Fairbanks Avenue action or escape to their new Beer Garden for a casual Winter Park escapade This quintessential meeting place has been consistently serving up (and winning awards for) one of the best burgers in Orlando for nearly a decade though Dubsdread has been around since 1924 “what makes their burger so special” The Tap Room’s hand-pattied burgers ensure the meat cooks evenly and allows the burger to hold its shape during cooking They also use premium Tillamook cheddar cheese on their Tap Room Classic Burger which melts just right while not getting too gooey The Pinery might be new on the food scene in Orlando but they are certainly masters of their craft for the grill Set across from Lake Ivanhoe in the brand-new Lake House Apartment building The Pinery boasts impressive Orlando history Within its walls are repurposed railings from a 1930’s downtown Orlando bank to a larger-than-life Orlando magazine cover (known initially as The Orlando Attraction) from 1948 The Pinery sits on what was once a Pineapple plantation from their logo to the doorknobs to the menu itself The Ivanhoe Smashed Burger is no different and … pineapple jam is a handheld burger lover’s dream It’s a perfect size and expertly balanced for an elevated meal surrounded by old-Florida history and that unique Ivanhoe Village charm Luke’s is the third concept by Park Lights Hospitality Group Their first two concepts are Luma on Park (a true gem that shuddered in September 2020) and Prato Billed as an everyday neighborhood restaurant delivering culturally and community-inspired ingredient-driven dishes offering a unique take on American cuisine It’s perfectly balanced and oh so delicious with classic toppings like lettuce The burger itself is cooked over an open fire grill A wildfire that started over the weekend about 30 miles southeast of Willcox is holding at about 1,200 acres burned a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Forestry "One of the reasons it's not expanding is because it's hung up in those rocky outcroppings on that ridge line so those rocks in that area are keeping the fire from moving," Davila said "It is kind of containing it from that natural boundary." She says nearly 300 firefighters are working on it and expect to be able to keep the Pinery Fire contained to avoid full evacuation Follow Brandon Mejia on Twitter or contact him via email at BMejia@azpm.org Wildfire Today Above: Map showing the location of the Pinery Fire in Southeast Arizona The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:57 p.m Saturday has forced the evacuation and closure of Chiricahua National Monument in Southeast Arizona The cause is under investigation but it started on private land moved onto the Chiricahua National Monument and has since spread north onto the Coronado National Forest Our very unofficial estimate based on 3:57 p.m satellite data is that at that time it had burned approximately 400 acres local time the National Park Service estimated the size at 675 acres Red Flag conditions on Saturday, including wind gusts up to 37 mph, are making containment difficult. The forecast for Sunday includes more Red Flag Warnings for the fire area with 86 degrees and southwest winds of 13 to 25 mph with gusts up to 37 again The fire is under joint command of the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and 2 hotshot crews are working on the ground trying to stop forward progress 19 miles west of the Arizona/New Mexico border and 44 miles north of the international border Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Please read the commenting rules before you post a comment Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email DENVER – One person was killed in a crash between a semi-truck and a pickup truck on South Parker Road at the intersection with South Pinery Parkway between Parker and Franktown Friday afternoon closing the northbound lanes of the highway A spokesperson said there was another secondary crash in which a different car not involved in the initial crash hit a pole CSP said the semi-truck was hauling vehicles at the time CSP did not provide further information immediately Friday afternoon Northbound Highway 83 (Parker Road) will be closed “for some time,” CSP said with help from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Franktown Fire Department Parker, CO (PRWEB) March 28, 2016 -- According to a March 8, 2016, atHome Colorado Home & Real Estate article but housing inventory is shrinking and prices are rising “Douglas County and the Parker area have seen tremendous growth,” said Trent Getsch of RE/MAX Alliance and the Timbers at the Pinery sales center “Companies like Charles Schwab and nearby hospitals in Parker and Castle Rock have brought in many jobs but housing this influx of workers has been difficult due to low inventory.” Finding a custom home or homesite in the area is a challenge right now let alone finding one with this type of natural beauty and atmosphere you will find the epitome of the Colorado lifestyle such as the properties offered at the Timbers which recently released its newest phase of beautifully wooded Timbers at the Pinery is a highly sought after community renowned for its natural beauty and Colorado landscape It is blessed with the ideal combination of massive stands of mature pines The newest phase of Timbers at the Pinery features custom lots from half-acre to over one acre a selection of custom homes already under construction and nearing completion or a selection of builder plans available to be started immediately “We have carefully selected eleven of Colorado’s best custom home builders to build upon these serene homesites,” said Getsch “Finding a custom home or homesite in the area is a challenge right now you will find the epitome of the Colorado lifestyle.” For more information about Timbers at the Pinery, please contact Trent Getsch at (720) 771-8953, or visit http://www.timbersatthepinery.com About Trent Getsch, RE/MAX Alliance Trent Getsch offers real estate services through RE/MAX Alliance-Greenwood Village, Parker, CO, and surrounding areas. For more information, please call (720) 771-8953, or visit http://www.homesincolorado.com About the NALA™ The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers in the digital age while providing a single-agency source that helps them flourish in their local community The NALA offers its clients an array of marketing tools from press release campaigns and social media management to a cause marketing program The NALA’s mission is to make businesses relevant and newsworthy by providing increased exposure at reasonable costs the NALA PR, Executive Business Services, http://www.thenala.com, +1 805.650.6121 Ext: 361, [email protected] Do not sell or share my personal information: In Spanish, cocina means kitchen. In Dallas, Texas, 214 is the area code. Put those two together and you have Cocina 214, the trendy, family and date friendly restaurant which features authentic Tex-Mex favorites. Be sure to try one of their 12 types of margaritas with their “Oh My Mahi” Fish Tacos. cocina214.com And it looks as if it is not going away anytime soon But we really do not have to look hard to find a few side benefits that are coming out of this COVID era Our skies are cleaner and quieter because airline travel has come to a near halt We are spending more time at home in the garden We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentI have put more miles on my bike than I have in the last decade. I frequent the Howard Watson Nature Trail in Sarnia and, I when I do, I have lots of company. A weekend ago, Cheryl and I took the 45-minute drive to Pinery Provincial Park to meet up with a few of my siblings. The lake water was warm, the shore was hot, the flies were biting, and the shade was welcoming. Six of us tackled the Wilderness Trail, which took us through the forest dominated by oaks and poison ivy. The following day, Cheryl and I returned to the Pinery to hit three short trails: Riverside, Bittersweet and Hickory. On our way out we traded up our $18 day pass for an annual pass. It will give us unlimited access to Pinery and all 330 Ontario parks until December 2021. Pinery Provincial Park is a jewel. We will be sure to return often, next time with our bikes. It is not Ontario’s biggest provincial park, but with just over 1,000 campsites, it might be the most populous. Its 10 kilometres of sandy shoreline offer plenty space for hundreds of families to enjoy clean water and outstanding sunsets. I am not much of a beach bum, preferring instead to hike the trails, giving me an opportunity brush up on my plant identification skills. I have the trees nearly mastered, but many of the shrubs and wildflowers have me baffled. Pinery Provincial Park became part of the Ontario provincial park system in the 1950s. In an effort to revitalize and make the forest denser, nearly three million red and white pine seedlings were planted. That was a noble effort, but foresters now recognize the pine tree planting was an ‘oops’ because it artificially impacted the native Oak Savanna ecosystem. Wander through the park and you will quickly see that oaks are plentiful. Red oaks are greatest in number, followed by white, black, swamp white, bur, and Chinquapin oak. The newest oak added to the list is Dwarf Chinquapin. With a guidebook or plant identification app, it is quite easy to decipher the difference between the oaks by looking at leaf shape and bark. Three interesting but less plentiful trees in the park are Shagbark Hickory with its distinctive shaggy bark and large leaves, Tulip Tree with its soaring height and straight stem, and Sassafras with its mitten-shaped leaves. Those who have never visited Pinery should pack a picnic lunch and head out. Be careful to not disturb the fragile and unique Oak Savanna and Coastal Dune Ecosystem. Rent a canoe or kayak to paddle up the Ausable channel and return in winter for the cross country skiing. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account The number of blacklegged ticks testing positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease has spiked in Pinery Provincial Park Along with finding more ticks during surveillance last fall the health unit found 38 per cent of ticks that were tested had the bacteria causing Lyme disease “We’ve never even been over 20 per cent before,” said Jessica Zehnal a health protection supervisor with public health Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience had previously been identified as a high-risk area for Lyme disease in Ontario but health unit officials weren’t expecting this much of an increase the agency conducted a “tick-dragging session” in the area and found more than 150 blacklegged ticks “That did indicate a significant increase in the blacklegged tick population that we’re seeing there,” she said a white cloth is “dragged” along the edges of brush through a few kilometres of public trails where ticks have been reported “They usually grab hold of anything brushing by,” Zehnal said Lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick but not all ticks carry the bacteria and not everyone who is bitten by an infected tick develops symptoms Zehnal said the agency’s intent is to encourage the public to take preventive measures to avoid Lyme disease fascinating real estate market is brought into focus and into context with this newsletter you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Homes in London will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. our case counts are still pretty low,” she said There were four positive cases last year in Lambton County and “we’ve never gone over five.” “Not all of our local cases are from exposure to our local risk area,” Zehnal said Zehnal said the agency wants the public to know what to do if they find a tick and what they can do to prevent Lyme disease but early detection and treatment with antibiotics can prevent serious effects Common symptoms can include a red bull’s-eye rash around the site of the bite heart and nervous system if left untreated If someone has been in a high-risk area and finds a blacklegged tick attached to their skin and it has been “feeding” for 24 hours or longer public health suggests the person contact their health-care provider 1 prevention technique” is doing a daily check for any ticks attached to the skin “and just paying attention to those areas — like your scalp your armpits — where they like to try and hide.” A tick feeding on a person can easily go unnoticed “Their saliva is actually made so you don’t feel pain when they bite,” she said Other preventive steps include sticking to trails when walking outdoors and avoiding direct contact with tall grass and other plant growth wearing light-coloured clothing to make it easier to see ticks “It just makes it more difficult for the tick to actually find skin to bite,” she said Adults and children ages 12 and older should apply insect repellent containing 20 to 30 per cent DEET Ticks are generally more active in the spring and fall This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Pinery Provincial Park a three-hour trip means adding stops to make the adventure more exciting I've been inspired by the views of Pinery's world-famous sunsets and beautiful dune paths When looking at photos that friends and fellow Instagrammers had taken I was worried I would be underwhelmed when I arrived I am happy to say the visit was better than I expected A post shared by Dana Harper (@wanderingdana) I would recommend adding St. Thomas’ Elevated Art Park to your drive As someone that loves the High Line in New York City Consider heading to Berry Hill Market after and preserves that made camping more delicious It's a short 10-minute drive away from the Art Park which is the minimum time I would visit for Here are my recommended tips to make the most of a short getaway Obviously, you go to the Pinery for the beach and sunsets. The park has been voted as having one of the top sunsets in Canada several times and it does not disappoint My favourite part of the park was the boardwalk located along 10 km of beachfront Walking along it among the dunes was gorgeous I could have spent the whole trip just taking in the views I think adding the river into your adventure is well worth it The park has a range of short hikes that overlook the river Pack a lunch and enjoy the whole Old Ausable Channel — it's about a 14-km round trip (with one short portage) and ends at the park boundary you can rent equipment if you don't own a canoe or board there's a beautiful 14-km trail that loops the park a bike is the best way to get around here and is also useful for getting to the different sand dunes A post shared by Ana & Dani (@colormypath) Although there's a range of hotels and motels in Grand Bend to consider, camping at Pinery is worth it. The sites are spacious and there are over 1000 to choose from. They do book fast, so make sure to plan ahead. Visit the Ontario Parks website to book Something to consider when choosing a site is how far you want to walk to the beach Staying in the Dunes will give you a prime spot for evening sunsets and quick beach access as there will be no camper vans in this area We stayed at Riverside, and though it was beautiful, without a bike it would be a bit of a drive (or a long walk) to the beach. That said, you'll have easy access to the main amenities and the river. There are also roofed accommodations here which are perfect for winter adventures at the Pinery There are plenty of wineries and cideries near Grand Bend, including Dark Horse Estate Winery you can enjoy a flight of wine and learn about the winery Since I'm a big antiquer, I definitely recommend a stop at Dale's Antiques and Mennonite Furniture shop The building is stuffed with great finds to admire (and take home) And no trip to Grand Bend is complete without ice cream. Grab a cone or snack at The Dairy Dip and Pizza Place and head down to Grand Bend’s beach which is much livelier than Pinery but has an equally beautiful view of the lake A post shared by 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐳 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐳𝐚 | 𝐈𝐧𝐌𝐲𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (@desielement) For dine-in meals or a morning coffee, try the Cottage Cafe This locally-owned and sourced cafe offers delicious baked goods However you choose to celebrate summer, Pinery Provincial Park is a great summer getaway from the city Ontario Hikes Herb Baumeister put a gun to his head and squeezed the trigger at Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron on July 3 Don't have an account? Create Account We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentThe 49-year-old Indiana man’s suicide note cited the usual tangle of human woe: Marital problems Baumeister also apologized for spoiling the scenery of the park near Grand Bend Baumeister failed to mention that cops back home had issued a warrant for his arrest as a suspected serial killer responsible for the brutal slayings of scores of young men Hoosier detectives realized too late that the mild-mannered department store owner was the blood-thirsty monster preying on young gay men more than a dozen of his suspected victims remain unidentified Their remains were discovered on Baumeister’s property outside Indianapolis in 1996 Baumeister did frequent gay bars and some of the missing people that were identified were tied back to gay bars and nightclubs,” Jeff Jellison Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox around 10,000 human bones and bone fragments were recovered from the killer’s 18.5-acre rural property that he dubbed Fox Hollow Farm some of them as large as some leg bones,” Jellison said “Most of those remains were crushed before they were discarded a lot of them were also burnt before they were discarded Those two things right there create huge hurdles.” Eleven of Baumeister’s victims were identified and detectives believe the bones are the remains of 25 of the killer’s victims ”These people were on a shelf for 26 years,” Jellison said that was missing from the mid-80s to middle-90s I need you to come forward and provide us with DNA.” Baumeister had a relatively normal childhood but by his teens was acting weird playing with dead animals and urinating on his teacher’s desk He was later diagnosed as schizophrenic but was reportedly never treated He married and established a successful chain of department stores in Indy He married and had three children — few aware of the evil demons raging within his beige exterior His wife noted something unusual as well: They were only intimate “five or six times” over the course of their 25-year marriage Those monsters were manifesting themselves along the I-70 corridor and on the outskirts of Indianapolis It wasn’t until 1992 that one of the city’s gay club denizens told detectives that a man named “Brian Smart” had murdered his buddy He also tried to kill a man named Tony Harris during an erotic asphyxiation session Lucky Tony Harris spotted the man again in his car and grabbed his license plate But when detectives told Baumeister he was a suspect in the mysterious disappearances and asked to search his house the serial killer and his wife Julie both refused she too had become terrified of her husband and filed for divorce She told cops they could search the property while he was away on holidays Police discovered the remains of 11 men and were able to identify eight of them Cops concluded Baumeister burned the bodies of his victims pulverized the bones and disposed of most of the remains on parts of his 18-acre farm Baumeister went on the run and slipped across the border into Ontario where he eventually ended his life In addition to the bodies found on his property Baumeister is suspected of murdering at least a dozen other men whose remains were discovered along the I-70 corridor between Indianapolis and Columbus He was posthumously identified as the man seen leaving a bar with Michael Riley in 1983 Riley was later found nude and strangled to death floating in an Indiana river private detective Virgil Vandagriff — who had been hired by a number of the victims’ families — noted that despite bland outward appearances Baumeister had all the traits of a monster “He fit all the components of a serial killer,” Vandagriff said “Among them was the ability to keep his crimes in control and silent under an everyday nonchalance He was a business owner whose store many townspeople frequented My own office was only a mile-and-a-half away from his place but from what I understand he wasn’t the type of guy you’d at first suspect of being a sexual psychopath.” bhunter@postmedia.com This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Beth’s Burger Bar is so much more than a tongue-twisting tousle in the world of burgers. It’s a culmination of owner Beth Steele’s vision to satisfy the child inside each of us, with delicious, highly customizable build-a-burgers. | bethsburgerbar.com Readers’ Choice: Best Mexican Restaurant In Spanish, cocina means kitchen. In Dallas, Texas, 214 is the area code. Put those two together and you have Cocina 214, the trendy, family and date friendly restaurant which features authentic Tex-Mex favorites. Be sure to try one of their 12 types of margaritas with their “Oh My Mahi” Fish Tacos. | cocina214.com Readers’ Choice: Best Spanish Restaurant At Tapa Toro, they combine contemporary Spanish cuisine with a vibrant, energetic atmosphere–bringing a fresh dining experience to International Drive. Their unique paella pit, fabulous tapas menu, and extensive selection of imported wines will guide you through a culinary journey of Spanish flavors and culture in the heart of Central Florida. | tapatoro.restaurant Deadwords Brewing is a brewpub located in the Parramore District of Downtown Orlando. Inspired by the pioneers and innovators of the American craft beer movement, they feature artisan menu items with locally sourced ingredients and produce a portfolio of the highest quality beers. | deadwords.com Readers’ Choice: Best Hotel Restaurant Knife & Spoon, a signature steak and seafood restaurant conceived and led by award-winning Chef John Tesar, was awarded a coveted Michelin Star in the 2022 edition of the Michelin Guide Florida. Tesar was called “the single most talented cook I ever worked with” by Anthony Bourdain. | ritzcarlton.com This bakery in Winter Park has been a go-to for years If you’re craving an authentic taste of classic French favorites head to Croissant Gourmet for the finest pastries ranging from napoleons and fruit tarts to eclairs and macarons The bakery also offers a full menu of breakfast and lunch specialties as well as coffee With a small seating area inside and charming tables outside it’s easy to pretend you’ve meandered down a quiet Parisian street. | https://www.restaurantji.com/fl/winter-park/croissant-gourmet-bakery-/ Rudy Seng opened Linda’s La Cantina in 1947 Both Seng’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren also work at the restaurant In addition to being one of the best spots in town to get a steak “This restaurant was my grandfather’s dream I try and change it as little as possible.” The kitchen still closely follows Seng’s recipes The tables are still covered in checkered tablecloths All the orders are handwritten on little slips of paper each perfectly cooked steak is hand cut and grilled by one person who has been in the kitchen at Linda’s for over 40 years “There could be 70 steaks on the grill. Ask him which one’s yours, and he’ll point to it. It’s unbelievable.” | lindaslacantina.com Home | Editor’s Picks, Part 1 | Editor’s Picks, Part 2 | Readers’ Picks | Readers’ Choice List Avid hiker Isabelle Klassen says she never thought she’d get lost in the woods the 21-year-old Grand Bend resident set out to Pinery Provincial Park Jan It was her first time to the park — she previously lived in Alberta and recently moved back to Ontario — and she became turned around looking for parking lots that weren’t pictured on a map “It was a beautiful day until the sun started going down OPP instructed her to download an app and read back the three words she saw on her phone She had just enough battery life left and a strong cell signal for the download “I’ve kept it on my phone because it’s very helpful.” Consider it another safety precaution when heading out along with dressing for the weather and carrying a backpack with first aid supplies whether you’re experienced or not,” she said what3words uses GPS co-ordinates and translates those to match the corresponding three-metre coded square in a 57-trillion-square grid around the Earth Phone data is not required to pick up a person’s location as long as the app’s already been installed “You can be in the middle of absolutely nowhere and your phone will know its GPS co-ordinates,” app co-founder and CEO Chris Sheldrick said “We’re taking a big long number that’s already in your phone we’re just making it very simple to communicate,” he said integrated with Mercedes-Benz vehicles and widely used by UK emergency responders and delivery services what3words was first adopted by some emergency services in Canada last July – including police services in Brandon and Winnipeg “I think the momentum (in Canada) has really built over the last few weeks or couple of months,” Sheldrick said calling it amazing to see the number of people using it grow over the years “It’s a very specific feeling that people are using your tech for lifesaving emergency needs,” he said Sheldrick developed the app with a friend over six months inspired he said by his time growing up on a farm the post code people use is not much use to anyone if you want to navigate to your house because it covers a very large area,” he said “And so I just grew up always having people calling us saying ‘I’m in a field’ or ‘I’m by a pylon’ and couldn’t find us.” He also spent 10 years in the music business trying to encourage people to adopt GPS co-ordinates to find back entrances to venues in unfamiliar places ‘well GPS co-ordinates are amazing but very rarely used by normal people so how can we just simplify it so that this is something easy and that my mom can use?’” he said use just 25,000 words but don’t map oceans Words in ocean squares tend to be longer and more complex “We don’t have as many uses there,” he said Another two lost hikers in Ontario were rescued under similar circumstances with help from the app Jan “The Bruce Trail is very vast and we get dozens and dozens of calls every month with people that are lost or are injured along the way or distressed,” he said adding “it’s only a matter of time where this is going to become a new tool that we’re going to be utilizing all the time.” and people getting turned around snowmobiling or running could be other uses He likened downloading it in advance to boaters donning life jackets so they’re ready in case of emergency tkula@postmedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Donna J. Miller, The Plain DealerRichard QuartermileBald eagles nest in Rocky River.BRECKSVILLE Ohio -- Nesting bald eagles in the Pinery Narrows area of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park need their privacy so rangers have closed the area and restricted trail use Pinery Narrows is north of the Station Road Bridge Trailhead in Brecksville The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail remains open but human activity will be restricted in some area The railroad tracks and 30 feet on each side of it are closed from Ohio 82 and Station Road north to the tracks at Fitzwater Road fishing and wading are prohibited in the Cuyahoga River downstream of the Brecksville Dam to the Fitzwater Road bridge An eagle will lay one to three eggs in late winter that must be incubated for about 35 days There must be a parent on the eggs at all times to protect them from the cold Human activity can scare an eagle away from the nest for too long a period of time Bald eagles are protected by the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which prohibit taking Learn more at www.nps.gov or call 800-257-9477 Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Greg Chrapek | gchrapek@mlive.comJan Dolce1959.jpg The Mehling-Dolce connection began in 1959 when Vince Mehling coached Tom and Mike Dolce in the Pinery Park Little League The two families have been bonded by Little League baseball ever since JENISON - The Mehling family has been coaching Little League baseball on and off for nearly seven decades it's been safe to say that a Dolce has been a part of those teams when Vince Mehling coached Tom Dolce and his brother the two families have been bonded by Little League baseball "The first Mehling to coach was Vince and he coached me in 1959," Tom Dolce said was a year older than me and he acted as an assistant coach Denny and I have been real good friends almost all our lives We each grew up and had families with two boys each Little League was much different seven decades ago than it is today "Back then in the Pinery Park Little League you had 50 kids show up and they only kept 12," Denny Mehling said "Little League has changed a lot since then We've had three generations coaching Little League "You don't really hear about three generations of one family coaching three generations of another family too much." The game of baseball was also played much more back then and both Denny and Tom played a lot of baseball away from Little League "We grew up a block apart," Dolce said "I lived on one side of Burton and Denny lived on the other side of Burton and Denny and I and several of the neighbor kids would go and play baseball every day we'd get a wagon and fill it with Kool-Aid and popcorn and take it to the park and play all day." After growing up and having their own families a second generation of ball players came on the scene Denny Mehling and Tom Dolce coached Denny's sons (Mike and Matt) and Tom's son (Tom II) in the Georgetown Little League Denny Mehling coached both of Tom's sons (Tom II and Tony) in the 13-year-old division and senior majors Denny Mehling's son (Matt) is coaching Tom's son (Kadin) along with his own son (Vince) in T-ball at the Georgetown Little League making it three generations of Mehling men who have coached three generations of Dolce boys Tom II coaches his 9-year-old daughter in the Georgetown Little League coaches his 13-year-old son in the Allendale Little League also coaches his son in the Rockford Little League Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site Ad Choices Please enter your email and we'll send you a new password request code You can take in some spectacular sunsets here If you're dreaming of white sandy shores, crystal clear water and breathtaking sunsets then you'll want to pack up your car and head to this stunning Ontario beach this summer The beach at the Pinery Provincial Park is an idyllic warm-weather destination the park features 10 kilometres of white sandy shores and a coastal dune ecosystem that will make you feel like you're in another world You can take a dip in the crystal clear waters of Lake Huron and lounge on the fine-sand shore for a serene summer experience. The park is home to 21 square kilometres of "rare forests and rolling dunes," making it a truly unique place to explore the park offers several other warm-weather activities to enjoy which takes you on a 2 kilometre adventure to the top of Pinery's oldest and largest dune ridge which leads to a viewing platform on top of a dune which includes an extension trail to the beach and takes you through "one of the rarest North American habitats the Oak Savanna." The park is renowned for its sunsets so you'll want to stay late and take in the views of the cotton candy sky You can also head into Grand Bend and visit the public beach for more swimming opportunities or explore the shops and restaurants along the main street you can book a campsite or cabin at the Pinery Provincial Park and make a vacation out of it Price: Prices vary Why You Need To Go: With rolling coastal dunes and stunning sunsets this beach is worth a road trip this summer Pinery Provincial Park website Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed Madeline Forsyth is a Toronto-based Lead Writer for Narcity Media she spent a year travelling much of the world as a flight attendant she uses her experience in the travel industry and passion for writing to share stories about buzzworthy events and adventures across Canada and the globe Madeline has been published in PopSugar and has interviewed sports and entertainment personalities for Narcity She has covered and photographed restaurant openings as well as event launches such as the world premiere of the Dr Some of her favourite things to write about include charming small towns and anything to do with Harry Potter We built a Welcome tour we highly recommend Your free account has now been created. You can change your notification settings anytime here you will be required to verify your email before reading our content Password reset email has been sent to {email} Please check your inbox for the reset code and enter it here: You are missing important information on your profile in order to access commenting features You can manage your subscription anytime by navigating to your account settings You need to create a custom avatar in order to comment Nous avons préparé une visite de bienvenue que nous vous recommandons fortement Votre compte gratuit a maintenant été créé. Vous pouvez modifier vos paramètres de notification à tout moment ici. Si tu t'es inscrit(e) en utilisant ton adresse e-mail, tu devras vérifier ton e-mail avant de pouvoir lire notre contenu. Un e-mail de réinitialisation du mot de passe a été envoyé à {email}. Veuillez vérifier ta boîte de réception pour le code de réinitialisation et le remplir ici : Il vous manque des informations importantes sur votre profil pour acc\u00E9der aux fonctionnalit\u00E9s de commentaire. Votre soutien est ce qui nous permet de continuer. Vous pouvez gérer votre abonnement à tout moment en vous rendant dans les paramètres de votre compte. Merci d'avoir confirmé votre adresse courriel. Tu dois créer un avatar personnalisé pour pouvoir commenter. You can officially hit the beach this weekend but you’re going to have to hit the road to get there your options for sun and sand are few and far between in Southwestern Ontario The announcement that Ontario would launch Stage 2 of its reopening plan in much of the province Friday saw beach openings make headlines but that applied only to beaches at provincial parks Ontario Parks beaches will begin to open Friday as maintenance and water tests are completed meaning a drive to Rondeau provincial park might be required if you’re eager to swim Lambton Public Health is not approved to move into phase 2 of reopening and Pinery beach will remain closed Civic beaches have the province’s OK to reopen but the decision is up to individual municipalities most beaches in Southwestern Ontario remain off limits “We are definitely not opening this weekend,” Elgin County Warden Dave Mennill said Wednesday “The beachgoers are really putting a lot of pressure to open up and we want to be consistent between the beaches.” Expect Mennill to announce Friday when beaches in Port Bruce “We are going to try to open as soon as possible,” he said Central Elgin Mayor Sally Martyn will announce Thursday when the Port Stanley beach will open When beaches do welcome swimmers and sunbathers it will be up to individuals to maintain social distancing and some bylaw officers will patrol to ensure beaches don’t get overcrowded “People are certainly super excited about patios but they are also really mad that the beach isn’t still open,” said Carol Gates owner of GT’s on the Beach in Port Stanley She’s been rushing to get her beachside patio ready to open and said despite the main beach being closed While the reservation line is ringing “like crazy,” Gates said many callers are surprised to learn Port Stanley beach isn’t open “We’ve been trying to spread the word that they aren’t open,” Gates said “I am worried that so many people will come anyway that it will just be madness medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health which covers Oxford and Elgin counties and St said the reopening and continued operation of beaches will “depend a lot on the co-operation of the beach attendees.” Lock reminds citizens to stay in groups of no more than 10 and to bring plenty of supplies such as hand sanitizer and water so they can minimize use of other beach amenities As for the concern of out-of-town beachgoers importing the virus from other regions currently locked out of Phase 2 the onus falls on both locals and day-trippers to be responsible “People that come from elsewhere need to be aware that they could be carrying the virus as an extra visitor with them,” she said Grand Bend is a step behind in its reopening plan with Lambton County not yet permitted to begin Phase 2 meaning no beachside patios — even without the actual beach “It is disappointing for the businesses that hoped they could open up their patios,” Lambton County Warden Bill Weber said there are a number of residents that don’t want to see an influx of people coming to use the beach and other facilities but aims to have area beaches open before July 1 adding anything earlier “would be a bonus.” As to why the municipality won’t reopen the beach now Weber said it boils down to “sheer numbers,” citing an overall lack of opened beaches in the area mean those that do may risk being overrun we think the numbers would be too great as the only option for people to go to,” he said is to have (COVID-19) numbers go up because people congregate on the beach Police have released this image of the Pinery bushfire origins and a fence line that had been cut. (Supplied: SA Police) Link copiedShareShare articlePolice want to speak to whoever cut a fence near the origins of the fatal Pinery bushfire as they ramp up efforts to find out how it started. The photo shows a scorched paddock near a farm house and a section of fence on Port Lorne Road that had been cut. Police believe the fence was likely to have been cut to allow a farm fighting unit to get through but were "keen to identify who broke the fence line". They also want to know who attended the location to help fight the fire. The Pinery bushfire started on November 25 in South Australia's Mid North and killed two people, tens of thousands of livestock, destroyed 87 homes, 300 farm sheds and outbuildings, and burnt more than 85,000 hectares. Detective Superintendent Des Bray said that while the exact cause of the fire was "undetermined, police were still of the view there was nothing obviously suspicious about how it started". "And there is no evidence to suggest at this stage that there is any blame to be attached to any individual or organisation in relation to the cause of the fire," he said. He said a disused car battery and pieces of an electric fence had been seized from the area of origin for further examination. "We know the area of origin where the fire started and that it then spread along a fence line," Superintendent Bray said. "What we haven't determined as yet is the ignition source, nor the exact point of ignition. "There is no evidence at this stage that the property owner, who was interstate when the fire began, has done anything negligent." Officers from Task Force Pinery will be in Mallala on Thursday in a bid to gather information from the community. An independent fire behaviour expert will also inspect the fire ground as part of the investigation. "Police are leaving no stone unturned with regard to this significant investigation," Superintendent Bray said. "We need to do a very thorough and comprehensive investigation. There will be lots of answers expected by the community and we need to do everything we can to understand the cause and the full circumstances of the fire and the responses to it so we can satisfy the community." Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The deadly fire burnt through more than 82,500 hectares. (ABC News: Angelique Donnellan) Link copiedShareShare articleAn independent report into the deadly Pinery bushfire in South Australia has found that no actions taken by the Country Fire Service could have altered its course. Two people were killed, 70,000 stock were lost, and almost 100 homes and 400 farm structures were destroyed in the blaze, which burnt more than 82,500 hectares of land in the mid-north community in November 2015. The hit to insurance companies has been about $75 million. A report by Noetic Systems has found that while there are lessons to be learnt from the fire, "changed behaviour" by responders would, in this case, "not have reduced the total damage". CFS Chief Officer Greg Nettleton said the fire was moving so quickly that at first, all firefighters could do was try to protect lives and property. "We knew that we weren't going to be able to stop this fire until the weather conditions abated," Mr Nettleton said. "We knew there was going to be a wind change from the south west. We knew it was going to cause the eastern flank to be a 40-kilometre front. "We also knew that early into the evening, when the winds would abate, we would catch it and we did." One of the nearly 100 houses destroyed in the Pinery fire. (ABC News: Angelique Donnellan) While the report found nothing could have changed the outcome, some CFS volunteers have expressed anger that they lost communications on the Government Radio Network at the height of the blaze. A separate report by communications consultant Mingara found the problems were largely due to a lack of management of traffic on the network. It found "the large number of SA Police calls, combined with lengthy conversations on the network ... impacted available capacity for other agencies". It also found portable radio terminals were used in areas "not designed to deliver reliable two-way portable communications". The State Government has committed $940,000 over four years to better train radio operators. Allan Tiller and Janet Hughes were killed in the Pinery bushfire. (Facebook) South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said there would also be better technical advice for people using the system. "The mitigation strategies are about removing that unnecessary radio traffic so that you can allow the system to have maximum efficiency with just the users that are there," he said. The Noetic Systems report identified nine areas where the CFS could learn from the fire, including incident management, public information, intelligence gathering and sharing, facilities, relocation and relief of persons, aviation, personnel safety, inter-agency operations and fatigue management. A truck and a shed in Freeling damaged by the Pinery fire. (ABC News: Candice Marcus) During the bushfire, there were five incidents of fire burning over CFS trucks and the report found where they had the most up to date safety equipment, crews survived and continued to fight the fire. While all CFS trucks have thermal curtains, they are not all equipped with sprinkler systems and breathing apparatus. Emergency Services Minister Peter Malinauskas said the Government would spent $9.3 million over four years upgrading trucks, but admitted some would still be fighting fires without the latest technology. "This gets us to 86 per cent of all vehicles within the next four years will have the instillation of the burn over technology," Mr Malinauskas said. "The Emergency Services Levy is an important source of funds to be able to make investments like this but it isn't an unlimited bucket of money so of course cost is a variable as well." CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced A University of Guelph project to revive an endangered butterfly species has made a big Integrative biology professor Dr. Ryan Norris says nine mottled duskywings were spotted in Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron this past week the first time the butterflies have been seen in the southwestern Ontario preserve in 30 years.   The sighting means that at least some of the butterflies that Norris and a team of collaborators reintroduced to the park last year have successfully overwintered.   “This is a really exciting milestone in our work,” said Norris, a professor in the College of Biological Science “No one has ever successfully reintroduced a butterfly species in Ontario so to see these individuals survive their first winter is fantastic.”   This first success in the project was featured in The Globe and Mail. Norris headed to the site last weekend after receiving a report on the iNaturalist app that a visitor to the park had spotted one of the 700 duskywings introduced by members of the Ontario Butterfly Species at Risk Recovery team last winter.  It wasn’t long before Norris and colleague Jessica Linton senior biologist with Natural Resource Solutions Inc. found three of the brown- and grey-speckled butterflies.  “This is exactly what we hoped to see this spring,” said Linton “When we released adult butterflies last year along with pupae and larvae with the discovery of these overwintered butterflies we have taken another big step forward.”  It’s still too early to call the program a success; a fully sustainable population of the butterflies would be needed for that But Norris said the team is encouraged they are on the right track.   “This has been our first try at a butterfly reintroduction,” he said “It’s been a collaborative effort between many organizations and one we believe is working.”  The duskywing is particular about its habitat and will deposit eggs on only two plants: the New Jersey tea plant and the closely related prairie redroot Both grow in what are now rare habitats that mottled duskywing depend on: open oak savannahs The Pinery has spent many years working to restore these habitats to the park which allowed the butterfly recovery team to launch the five-year duskywing recovery project supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Alliance grant.  “The Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory in Cambridge has been crucial to this,” said Norris “We didn’t know how to rear mottled duskywings but the team there was able to develop a captive rearing program that allowed us to bring 700 of them to the park last summer.”  the team will now begin a count of the butterflies to estimate the number that survived track their activities over the summer and add more insects reared at the Cambridge conservatory to boost the numbers.  a similar reintroduction plan will be started on land owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada — another partner on the project — in Norfolk County that has recently been restored from agricultural use.  “If we can recreate a habitat and return this butterfly species there it would be another symbolic step that we can restore ecosystems,” said Norris It gives us hope that we can reintroduce what we’ve lost.”  Dr. Ryan Norris rnorris@uoguelph.ca  ABC News News HomeDeadly Pinery bushfire caused by car battery no charges laidShare Deadly Pinery bushfire caused by car battery no charges laidTopic:Bushfires The Fischers were forced to rebuild their flock after the Pinery fires in 2015 Link copiedShareShare articleNo criminal charges will be laid over the deadly Pinery bushfire in South Australia following a year-long investigation which found a car battery left in a paddock started the blaze and almost 100 homes and 400 farm structures were destroyed in the blaze which burnt more than 82,500 hectares of land in the mid-north community in November 2015 which has spent almost a year investigating the bushfire with the help of fire behavioural experts believed it was started by a car battery left near a wire fence in a paddock on a property Investigators said the battery was the only potential ignition source in the area They said no one was at the property at the time the fire began and no criminal act was involved Police also said the fire burned for some time before it was reported to authorities from Hamley Bridge were killed during the blaze A report is still being prepared for the coroner "Its thorough nature means that it will take some time to complete due to the comprehensive nature of the report," a police spokesperson said A recent review into the bushfire found no actions taken by the Country Fire Service could have altered its course. ABC News News HomeA matter of wait and seeShare A matter of wait and seeBy Michael Dulaney Blazeaid volunteers take cover from one of the dust storms, which roll through every day in the Pinery fire region. (Supplied: Mick Tomalin) Link copiedShareShare articleThe intensity and speed of the Pinery fire on November 25, 2015 caught farming communities in South Australia's mid north off-guard. Nearly four months later, residents continue the slow work of rebuilding after the devastation and return to daily life. Hundreds of kilometres of fencing have needed attention. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) Extraordinary tales of survival and hardship are routine among those who lived through the Pinery fire and today, nearly four months later, they still dominate conversations in the region. Wendy and Adrian Parker vividly remember escaping minutes before the bushfire destroyed everything around their home at Wasleys. As the wall of flames moved closer, Wendy had driven away in one of the family cars at Adrian's insistence, leaving him behind as he tried to save their caravan and some of their most precious possessions. With smoke looming above the road, she had already said her goodbyes over the phone to her father and apologised to her dogs in the back seat for not being able to save them, when she made the decision to return to the house to be with Adrian. "I thought 'What am I doing, this could be the last time I see my husband'," Wendy said. After a panicked and confused search for safety the couple made it to Kapunda and out of danger. In the early light of the next morning they returned home, along with many of their neighbours, to assess the damage and begin the long process of recovery. The Parkers were not alone in thinking they were going to die that afternoon, as people in the fire-affected areas were unprepared for the speed and intensity of a bushfire being fanned by 85-kilometre-per-hour winds. When the smoke and ash settled, 85,000 hectares of agricultural land had been razed by a 210-kilometre fire front that claimed houses, possessions, crops, livestock and two lives. Residents are still clearing trees and debris from their properties. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) Long after most of the TV cameras and round-the-clock media coverage departed, residents of the farming communities in South Australia's mid-north region are still clearing away the rubble and looking forward to the day when the demands of crops and harvest are the most pressing concern again. No-one knows how long it will take — even the older residents have not seen a fire of this scale around here in their lifetime. The insurance bill has now topped $170 million from almost 2,000 claims, most of which are commercial farming losses. Donations and government support have flowed to the region, as farmers and volunteers from relief organisations like Blazeaid spend weeks out in the paddocks mending hundreds of kilometres of destroyed fencing or cutting down dead trees. Fees and levies for landfill sites in the region have been waived so residents can dispose of their rubbish at a discount, such is the scale of their needs. And still the cleanup goes on. Wendy spends a few hours each morning raking up pine needles from the dying trees that surround their house and putting them in garbage bags to be stacked in a pile six feet high. In the front yard, she has set up a small display to express her own brand of gallows humour, placing some fire-damaged artefacts around the skeleton of their wheelbarrow. "It's my eulogy, my epitaph," Wendy said with a wry smile. "See my horse shoe there? It's upside down. It means we've run out of luck." A eulogy for the Pinery fire in the front yard of the Parker residence. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) With so much of the landscape unchanged since the events of November 25, 2015, people seize on any small chance to forget. Wendy deleted her ringtone after hearing it as an echo in her head for weeks. Its shrill sound reminded her of the frantic moments of escape from the home, while Adrian phoned every three minutes to check her progress. But other reminders may remain visible on the countryside for years. They are the blackened trees on the back roads, the smear of ash on the side of a shed, raised mounds of dirt that cover the bodies of hundreds of sheep, or grain bins full of charred wheat that leak the smell of smoke downwind. Walking out the front door is a daily reminder that the district is still living among ghosts. "You get sick of seeing brown every day," Wendy said, looking over the back fence towards the oppressive sight of barren fields in every direction. Four months on and there are still reminders of the Pinery fire in the effected areas. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) Driving along the back roads, there is a clear boundary to the path of the fire — a line of destruction written on the wheat stubble that moves across the landscape seemingly at random. At ground level it is a marker of the properties that lost crops, part of a toll that Primary Industries and Regions SA estimated amounts to nearly $16 million worth of unharvested grains and $8 million of hay. In everything there is a search for answers, whether there is meaning behind the haves and the have-nots. "The biggest question is 'why?' People are asking it all the time," Adrian said. "Why did someone's fire-proof house go up, but some ramshackle place on the next lot survive? "I just look at it as some people get sick and some people don't, there's no explanation." Adrian Parker stands on the small patch of donated lawn in his back yard. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) A few weeks ago Adrian and Wendy were some of the lucky few to secure a few square metres of grass donated by the Underdale Bowling Club in Adelaide. It is a small rectangle of fresh green that barely covers one tenth of their sandy yard. But its value is therapeutic rather than aesthetic. "It's my favourite place," Adrian said. "There's about 10 foot by six foot around the corner of the house that's just green-as in the centre of what looks like a sandy desert. "It's a great spot, we go out there in the evenings and sit there and have a glass of wine and look at the lawn." A map in the Blazeaid office shows the footprint of the Pinery fire. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) On a whiteboard inside Blazeaid's Pinery fire camp at Roseworthy the recovery is measured: in kilometres of fencing to be replaced, in days of volunteer service rendered, in acres cleared. But the volunteers sitting at the nearby tables know there are other stages of renewal that are much harder to quantify. Many of them have come from around Australia and have been here mending fences and clearing paddocks alongside farmers in the summer heat since the first days after the fire. Spending days working with a farmer means they can offer a friendly ear. Barb Tomalin has seen the full spectrum of reactions, having lived in a caravan at the camp with her husband Mick and working as a volunteer since the second day of the fire. She said everyone reacts differently to the trauma that follows an emergency; some people just get on with the job. There are plenty more for whom the destruction and the interminable clean-up is still a raw subject. "There was one farmer, every day we went out there I had to give him a hug and he would cry on my shoulder," she said. "His family is fine, house is fine, he still had some of his crop, but he said 'It just gets to me every day, seeing nothing in the paddock'." "A lot of the wives are distraught they lost their gardens. "It's a reminder of how they'd like it to be every time they walk out their front door." A Blazeaid volunteer helps out around Dennis Pratt's farm. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) One of the five Blazeaid teams working in the Pinery fire region is out with farmer Dennis Pratt, mending fences around his property on the Grace Plains. As the team worked on installing a new gate, Dennis pointed to the bare soil of the field adjacent to his home that would usually be sowed with cereal crops. "We should have green stubble and sheep running through here," he said. On their lunch break, the team passes mince pie and sausage rolls around the kitchen table. The white kitchen walls are bare except for a supermarket calendar featuring the turquoise waters of an idyllic beach. They talk about bushfires and some of the more experienced Blazeaid volunteers compare their experiences at Pinery with others around Australia. Dennis explains how his working dogs Scruff and Buddy burnt their feet out in the paddock as they tried to escape across the hot earth. Full of energy now, Scruff and Buddy were hooked to respirators for several weeks as they recovered from smoke inhalation. Dennis emphasises the importance of talking in the aftermath of the fire. It is the same process that has been going on in town hall meetings every few weeks, where residents can talk about their sorrow, frustrations or whatever is on their mind. It doesn't matter, as long as it is shared. "We've got to talk about it," Dennis said. "When you come back and you're working in this situation every day, you've got to talk about it. "Otherwise it gets on top of you, looking at the same burnt soil every day." Nothing worsens the soil attrition quite as much as the dust storms, which roll in at 1:00pm most days and blanket the region, cutting off visibility and filling any space that has not been sealed shut with a fine red powder. The Parkers have gaffer-taped every crack in the house, including the windows, vents and the fireplace, but they can never seem to keep all the dirt out. "The dust storms have been the worst for me," Adrian said, picking through the dusty tools in his shed that were cleaned only two days earlier. "Some days you can be standing on the back veranda and not see the edge." Time will only tell the extent of the damage caused by the daily erosion. These storms carry the nutrient-rich topsoil blown from paddocks that would otherwise be anchored by wheat stubble from the previous harvest. Keeping homes and sheds clean from the dust is a daily struggle. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) It is just another reason to be eager for the start of seeding, when crops will sprout on a landscape which has remained largely unchanged since the fire. "When I can see some green out here it will take some of the trauma," Dennis said. "It'll be good for morale." There has been plenty of speculation, but no-one really knows what will happen when the next crop is put in the ground. Some say the top soil has been sterilised by the heat. Others think the speed of the fire minimised its damage on the plains. "We all have our ideas, but we can't prove anything," Dennis said. "It's just a matter of wait and see." Wendy and Adrian Parker in their garden. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) The Parkers moved to Wasleys from Alice Springs just nine months before the fire. In the morning after the fire there were serious questions about moving back to Alice. That decision is still on the table. Dennis said he had spoken with others who were asking similar questions about staying in the area. Whatever they decide in the future, Adrian said the bond with their new friends and neighbours had only strengthened in the months since. "The community has been really important. We feel like we're definitely not on our own," he said. "People will roll up and start chatting to us and we'll offer them a beer or a drink and next thing it's 10:30pm and they still haven't gone home. "That happens quite regularly, you see them driving up the road and dropping in — it has been good." Regular visitors pulling up in the driveway would have watched the gradual change in the backyard at the Parker's house. After much care and attention from Wendy, a prized garden that was wilted and brown has slowly returned to health. Some of the plants have been lost, but the herb patch still fights for space with tomato vines, eggplants and zucchinis. Half of the Gouldian finches in the aviary dropped off the perch from smoke inhalation, but those that remain are as colourful and chirpy as ever. There is a daily harvest of spinach, kale and silverbeet for the kitchen table. The garden is altered, but its flowers are back in full bloom. "It's everything for me, growing veggies here," Wendy said. "[It symbolises] there's hope at the end of the black tunnel, that there is some light, some hope. "It has taken a lot of time and care, but something I had to do was to bring it back." Wendy Parker's garden is starting to bloom again after much work following last year's bushfire. (ABC: Michael Dulaney) This article contains content that is not available. Pinery Provincial Park in Ontario comes with a beautiful beach kilometres of rare forests and rolling dunes It also has one of the highest-ranked sunsets in the world and is a truly breathtaking and unique place The park is located just under three hours from Toronto along Lake Huron near Grand Bend Although there are countless scenic spots along Lake Huron the Pinery has to be one of the most beautiful A post shared by skin + hormone nutritionist (@wakethehealthup) on Jul 26 The park is home to a 10-kilometre sand beach and one of the largest freshwater coastal dune ecosystems in the province A post shared by aysia (@aysia.g) on Aug 1 Set against the backdrop of the sparkling Lake Huron Sunsets here are ranked by National Geographic as among the top 10 best in the world A post shared by @entrop_y on Aug 4 The beaches dune ecology isn’t the only rare and picturesque landscape preserved here though It is a natural environment-class Provincial Park and protects the largest remaining tract of Oak Savanna a type of lightly forested grassland where oaks are the dominant trees A post shared by KARLENE ANNETT (@karleneannett) on Aug 5 There are 10 different hiking trails and a 14-kilometre bike trail that winds through the fragile Savanna forest There are usually a ton of water activities to enjoy with the option to canoe the Old Ausable Channel that runs through the park A post shared by Christina (@oheyitschristina) on Aug 5 This provincially significant wetland is fed only by precipitation the habitat is shifting from a pond-like ecosystem to a more terrestrial ecosystem kayak and paddleboat rentals will be unavailable this summer including Bittersweet Trail and Hickory Trail A post shared by rebecca sutherland (@rebeccasuds) on Aug 5 Whether you’re thinking of visiting for the day or pitching a tent on one of the many campsites and staying the night there will be no shortage of things to explore Christopher Woo Before and after photos from the Pinery fire ground Link copiedShareShare articleFire has the freaky ability to dance across paddocks and engulf homes To mark the first anniversary of the Pinery bushfire ABC soundman and photographer Tony Hill retraced his footsteps in the farming community of Wasleys where people stood helplessly as their homes and farms burned A year on there are bumper crops almost ready for harvest and strong lamb prices to boost farmers' spirits but the landscape still bears the scars of fire Instructions: Use left and right arrow keys to control image transition SLIDE The remains of the burnt-out Wasleys home / A CFS fireman attends the scene.One phone call from the newsroom last year had Hill who usually works on programs like Landline and cameraman Greg Ashman change their plans and head to Mallala to capture the unfolding emergency "It wasn't chaotic but it was busy and it was clearly a state of emergency with the lights and all the rest of it going on," Hill said the pair decided to chase it as it roared towards in the direction of Roseworthy ABC soundman and photographer Tony Hill returned to Wasleys to see changes 12 months after the fire "It's howling and moving at a great rate of knots." "We were rolling up with people's houses on fire with them standing out the front just watching their properties burn," Hill said "That was really confronting because normally that's a story that is told it's not something you are part of." the odd explosion could be heard as houses "just dissolved" A woman stood outside her home on Boundary Road as it burned to the ground "It will stick with me forever," he said "I don't think I'll ever forget that house burn during the Pinery bushfire."It was a real connection to the moment to see someone watching their whole life go up in smoke .. you almost share their emotion a little bit You start to put yourself in their shoes." Hill later returned with the 7.30 program to witness the woman sifting through the rubble the burnt-out shell of the house remains — perhaps cruelly only metres away from the local fire brigade's shed ABC cameraman Greg Ashman films near Malalla during the bushfire "And especially in that situation you had f*** all phone contact .. you were basically isolated at a communications level and in this day and age that's a really weird feeling." Hill sent photos back to the newsroom when his mobile had brief moments of coverage a stray footy and a bus had been blackened by the flames SLIDE This house block at Wasleys was cleared about six months after the Pinery bushfire after the Pinery bushfire.When Hill was there last the front door lock was on the ground with the keys in it — the door had been incinerated Today a patch of brown earth close to the road is the only sign the house was ever there at all SLIDE A cleared house block at Wasleys in November 2015 / The shell of a burnt out bus at Wasleys after the Pinery bushfire in November 2015.Perhaps a sign that fire picks and chooses its targets came at another farm the crew visited From the road they had noticed smoke from a haystack fire and ventured down a driveway to find burnt out machinery sheds close to an untouched house ABC cameraman Greg Ashman films CFS crews at work Within moments embers began smouldering in the house's gutters Hill turned on a tap for water but there was "no bloody water" or communications to call for help As fate would have it a CFS truck roared down the driveway and the house was saved it tends to desire some things and not others," Hill said ABC News News HomeAfter the fire: Pinery residents return homeShare After the fire: Pinery residents return homeBy Michael Dulaney Many hours of hard work were lost as hay sheds burned during the Pinery bushfires in South Australia, November 2015. (ABC Local) Link copiedShareShare articleTears and tales flowed as residents returned home in the first hours after catastrophic bushfire swept through their South Australian town. Bruce Buckby and Wendy Parker reunite after the Pinery fire. On one of the gravel roads out of Wasleys, Wendy is walking back through her farm gate with a bag full of debris from the charred property next to her home. It is only a few hours since the worst of the Pinery fire passed through the area, and like everyone in the region, she has only just started the mammoth task of assessing the damage. Seemingly out of nowhere, an impromptu reunion begins on the roadside. Bruce Buckby, driving by on his tractor, pulls up and climbs from the cabin and embraces Wendy. Moments later, they are joined by Wendy's husband, Adrian, and Leanne Tucker in her ute from the next lot over. It is the first time these friends and neighbours have seen each other since their frantic escape from the bushfire. Between tears, the small group shares their stories and takes stock of their situation. It is a list of what was saved and what was lost. Leanne's husband Arthur is busy in the next paddock, disposing of a few hundred sheep caught between the fence and the flames. Their charred bodies are being dumped into a grain truck which should have been used to cart this year's bumper crop to market. The charred bodies of livestock were removed by trucks. Leanne said she heard there were 2,000 more in a neighbour's paddock waiting to be buried. Bruce's voice wavered as he described a $700,000 harvester which was destroyed and the shed full of hay that went up in flames. Wendy and Adrian have just seen seven badly burned horses euthanased. Their garden, shed and new car have all been gutted by the fire. "At least you're ok," Bruce said, embracing Wendy around the shoulders. But the mood in the group turns to relief as Bruce leans in with a piece of good news. "The little lambs made it," he said, beaming. "They sheltered behind the house." Many hours of hard work was lost in burning hay sheds. Similar scenes are playing out around Wasleys and the entire region scorched by the Pinery fire, as people return to their homes and properties to assess the destruction wrought by the 210-kilometre fire front. Driving through the back roads, what was once a decent harvest of fields of golden wheat is now a dust bowl: barren fields of blackened stubble, where the wind whips top soil into small tornadoes. Everything smells of smoke and the breeze carries shards of charcoal and grit. The silence is eerie for a place where there are usually so many animals. In this post-apocalyptic scene, piles of hay smoulder near cars and tractors, trapped in time after being abandoned during frenzied moments of escape. Thousands of dollars of farm equipment was destroyed. Many sheep died when trapped against fences. Everyone is moving with purpose across this landscape — residents, Country Fire Service (CFS), police, road workers. Those who are not moving are taking their first chance to debrief. Some are parked up at plastic tables and chairs out the front of the Wasleys bowling club picking from eskies full of 'cold ones' while strangers and locals file past to get the latest update from the bush telegraph. Others have pulled up a seat in a shady beer garden spot at the pub. Faces are covered in soot and charcoal kicked up the wind whipping across the surrounding paddocks. Glenda Trevillian has a chilled glass of white wine waiting for her on the bar. She remembers her honeymoon in Victoria during the Ash Wednesday fires. But as terrible as that was, that fire was not at home. "You see it on TV, things burnt out in other communities. I never thought I'd see it here," she said. Residents gathered at the pub to talk with neighbours over a cold drink. Steve Nendland, the 2IC at the nearby piggery, tells how he drove 120 kilometres per hour in one direction away from the fire, before seeing the wind swing around and having to double back in the opposite direction. "I've never seen anything like it in my life. There were flames taller than buildings," he recalled. He heard reports that the piggery had lost 9,000 animals, but said most of the farm's 40,000 animals were let out into the paddock and managed to survive the blaze. "Two blokes left it too late to escape; they sheltered behind the shed with some of the pigs and survived," he said. Adrenaline and sleep deprivation are still written across everyone's face. And still the stories come, a form of catharsis. There was the one about the lady who ran inside to get her car keys and came out minutes later to find her car on fire. Another about the orange glow that could be seen for miles at night. The CFS are universally praised; all agree that more homes and lives would have been lost without their efforts on the frontline. By mid-afternoon, the Insurance Council of Australia has declared the area a catastrophe. Around 300 firefighters are been flown in from Victoria to assist. Wendy and Adrian Parker were caught by the speed and ferocity of the fire. Like many in the region, the speed and ferocity of the fire caught Wendy and Adrian Parker by surprise. As they picked through the wreckage on their property, Adrian recalled the moment the fire began lapping at their doorstep. "Wendy and I both agree that we thought our life was finished," he said. "We just thought we were lost. We saw the flame, couldn't see through the smoke, couldn't see where to go. "We got in the car and within five minutes it was right on our doorstep and chased us right down this road by our house and we headed to Tarlee." The couple made it to Kapunda, 30 kilometres away, where they waited at the hospital for the fire to pass. But a few hours later they made the difficult decision to return to their home. One of the few things to survive the blaze was their caravan, which provided shelter for the night after they broke in and carted it 30 kilometres south to Elizabeth. It was an experience the couple never expected to deal with when they moved to Wasleys from the relative safety of Alice Springs, eight months ago. "I don't cope very well with this sort of thing," Adrian said. "We are not in a high tree area, the house has been here since 1960, so we thought we were pretty safe. "Seeing animals that were here last night — a couple of horses just standing there — we came back this morning and they are still in the same place, but a couple have died. Livestock were injured and killed in the fire. "It is just something we never thought we would experience in our lifetime. This has really knocked us around." In the light of the morning, there are still shreds of hope. The family home escaped the worst. Although Wendy's beloved veggie garden wilted in the heat, the budgies and other colourful birds in her aviary made it through the blaze. In the quiet of the morning, they are shaken, but still alive. And like many of those dealing with the aftermath of the fire, there is still an opportunity for humour. "The insurance company called and said 'can you leave the keys out for us if you're not at home'," Adrian said, pointing to the lump of black and grey metal that was the family car. "I said 'yeah sure, good luck driving it out of here'." Bruce Buckby brought experience spent years as a captain of the volunteer fire service. As Wendy and Adrian share the terror of their first brush with a bushfire, Bruce — the old hand of the region — offers a sympathetic ear. His years of experience fighting fires as a CFS captain prepared him for a task which was not an option for the couple from Alice Springs: to stay and protect his home. "What else was I supposed to do?" he asked. And the long fight started in an understated way. "Early in the afternoon, a mate called me and came out to my place for a feed," Bruce said. As they realised the fire was headed their way, pushed on by 80 kilometre per hour winds, the two set about filling the gutters with water, spraying the walls and keeping the hose ready to put out spot fires. Bruce said he knew the worst was behind him when it was just the spot fires which needed his attention. Soon after, he seized the first brief moment to put his feet up. "We sat out in that misty night at dusk and drank a beer and a scotch," Bruce said with a laugh. "I didn't sleep much that night though, too much adrenaline." Remaining crops are a stark reminder of the devastation in the area. The next morning, Bruce went out into the field to assess the damage. Hay bales representing his months of work and livelihood had been reduced to smouldering piles. Several sheds were warped beyond recognition. "For the metal to bend and twist like that, it must have been over 1,000 degrees in there," Bruce said. By the time he bumps into Wendy and Adrian on the roadside, he has already fielded plenty of calls from neighbours and friends, and placed a few calls himself. "These sorts of things are sent to try us," he said. "Only the good die young. So I've got a long life ahead of me." There will not be a harvest for many after the fire swept through crops. Across town, everyone not dealing with pressing matters is pitching a hand in where it is needed: making calls or stopping by to check their mates are safe. Wasleys pub owner James Page said the community always pulled together in trying times. "I think just stick together and help your mates out wherever you can," he said. "There is a saying I always thought was good: 'from out the darkness shines the light'," James said. "Buildings can always be rebuilt, cars can be replaced, but people can't." And on the roadside, the Parkers are experiencing, for the first time, the resilience of their new community. "The eight months we've been here, we probably have more close friends than we have had in our whole life," Adrian said. Even so, as Wendy struggles to comprehend whether such fires are the norm around here or just a terrible aberration, she questions the couple's decision to move from the Alice. "We're wondering whether we should stay," she said. Bruce reaches out and takes Wendy's hand between his. ABC News News HomeABC Rural The bushfire and the baby: A story of heartbreak and hopeBy Sophie McInnerneyABC Rural Topic:Disasters, Accidents and Emergency Incidents Nette Fischer gave birth to her daughter Elke when the fires hit. (Michael Dulaney) Link copiedShareShare articleOn the eve of the Pinery fire that devastated parts of South Australia's mid north last year, Ms Fischer, had just returned to the state after spending four and a half months in Queensland. Ms Fischer's time away from home was not by choice, but out of necessity. While on holiday in far north Queensland with her two daughters, Ms Fischer, who was 22 weeks pregnant at the time, went into labour. "We managed to hang out for two weeks before she was born, which was lucky because it saved her life." On August 21 Elke was born weighing just 640 grams. Ms Fischer and her baby daughter stayed in the Townsville hospital until Elke was considered stable enough to be transferred to the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide. It was a special reunion for the Fischer family, especially for Nette and her two other daughters, who had been without each other for so long. "It was hard — they missed me a lot," she said. The following afternoon, while at hospital with Elke, Ms Fischer received word that a fire was threatening her home and farm near Wasleys. Knowing her family was safe, her thoughts turned to where the family's highly prized white Suffolk sheep stud. Many sheep were killed when trapped against fences during the Pinery bushfires. (ABC Local) "I thought I could help fight the fire and move the sheep to safer ground," she said. Confident Elke was in good hands, Nette left the hospital and met her husband Troy in nearby Gawler before attempting to make the journey home. "Because of the severity of the fire we couldn't get home right away," she said. "We thought we had lost our home." When the couple could eventually return home hours later they were confronted with what Nette described as "apocalyptic" scenes. The farm had been hit hard, but fortunately the family's home had been saved. Tragically the entire ewe portion of the sheep stud had perished — 25 years of work lost in minutes. A big fire burns in the Malalla area, north of Adelaide in fierce winds, November 25 2015. (ABC News: Angelique Donnellan) But amid the heartbreak and devastation came hope, when the family discovered most of the stud's lambs had survived by taking shelter in a watercourse. From that moment on Ms Fischer, who describes herself as "ridiculously optimistic", and her family set about the task of rebuilding their business and their farm. "It was tricky, but we never once thought we'd give up," she said. "Everyone responds differently I suppose, but we love what we do so that helped us to carry on." One year on, the Fischer's, together with the generosity of Australia's white Suffolk community, have now replaced all of their breeding ewes and returned the stud to its former glory. With their business back on track it has meant the family can now make up for that lost time together. "It's wonderful to spend time as a family, all in the one spot together — it's been a long time coming," she said. "Despite everything we're just grateful because we're all healthy, we're alive and we have a home to live in." As for Elke — who turned one in August — Nette said she was thriving. "She's great, a 100 per cent healthy. We're so lucky." Dust swept south from the Pinery fire ground into the northern Barossa Valley Link copiedShareShare articleA severe dust storm has swept across parts of the mid-north of South Australia and into the Barossa Valley The weather bureau said a thunderstorm with strong winds had stirred up dust from the Pinery bushfire ground A massive blaze swept through the region last November. Months after the Pinery blaze, recovery is slow for farming communities north of Adelaide. Senior forecaster Matt Bass said winds reached more than 90 kilometres per hour in the area. "Obviously there's still a lot of exposed soil in that area. We had a couple of thunderstorms move across the fire ground in the last few hours," he said. "We actually had a wind gust recorded at up to 93 kilometres per hour at Roseworthy. "The visibility looks like it was definitely less than 100 metres in some parts." He said more rain was forecast during the evening. "We might even see a little bit more shower activity over the area to hopefully settle down the dust a little bit [and] the next few days definitely will be cooler," he said. The highest wind gust recorded during the afternoon was 100kph at Warburto Point, near Wallaroo, on Yorke Peninsula. At the height of the dust storm, five vehicles were involved in a crash at Tarlee that left debris across the Horrocks Highway. The Country Fire Service said it had received many phone calls from people worried about the dust storm. It advised people to close doors and windows, and remain indoors to avoid any adverse health effects. The cooler change sweeping across SA led to power outages in a number of areas, including thousands of properties in the Whyalla area. A huge plume of dust is coming into the Barossa Valley from the Pinery fire ground. (Twitter: Travis Earth)