What are hazards?
Hazards are unpredictable events or situations that have the potential to cause harm to people, property, and the environment. Hazards are often classified as natural, human-caused, or technological.
Identifying and understanding what hazards may exist in your community is an important first step in emergency preparedness.
Natural Hazards
Natural hazards are hazards that exist in the natural environment and pose a threat to people and property. It is important to remember that hazards are never strictly “natural.” It is the actions of people - such as how we build our communities and social structures - that interact with “natural” hazards.
Some examples of natural hazards in Manitoba could include blizzards, droughts, freezing rain, ice jams, landslides, seasonal or flash floods, tornadoes, wildfires, or windstorms.
Human Caused Hazards
Human-caused hazards have an element of human intent, negligence, or error including the failure of man-made systems as opposed to a natural hazard.
Some examples of human-caused hazards in Manitoba could include active shooters, bomb threats, hostage situations, labour actions, mine disasters or terrorism.
Technological Hazards
Technological hazards include the failure of critical infrastructure and/or services which can have significant negative consequences. Technological hazards are industrial (pollution), nuclear (nuclear waste leak), or structural (dam collapse).
Some examples of technological hazards in Manitoba could include bridge collapses, dam inundation/failures, gas or oil pipeline interruptions, supply disruptions, transportation incidents (i.e. aviation related incident, marine vehicle incident, multi-vehicle incident, train related incident) or wastewater interruption.
Manitoba's diverse climate, with cold winters and hot summers, combined with the extensive river systems and flat terrain, create the risk of the following natural hazards:
- Flooding
With its large river systems and prairie landscape, Manitoba is susceptible to seasonal flooding, especially during spring snow melt and heavy rains. - Wildfires
The presence of large forests and grasslands increases the risk of wildfires, especially in dry and windy conditions. - Severe weather
Manitoba experiences extreme weather conditions, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards, which create risks year-round.
The province's economic activities and infrastructure can also lead to human-caused hazards:
- Transportation accidents
With a significant transportation network, Manitoba faces risks associated with accidents involving vehicles, trains, and aircraft. - Power Outage/Shortage
The interconnected electricity system can be vulnerable to damage, resulting in power outages or shortages during extreme weather events or technical failures. - Dam inundation/failure
Manitoba's reliance on dams for hydroelectric power and flood protection creates the potential risk of dam overtopping or failure, impacting communities and infrastructure.
Manitobans should also be aware of other hazards that can affect their daily lives:
- Public health emergencies
Disease outbreaks or other health crises may require special measures to protect public welfare. - Critical infrastructure failures
Loss of essential services such as telecommunications, water, or health care infrastructure can affect communities. - Road closures
Severe weather events, including heavy snowfall and flooding, can lead to road closures, impacting transportation and access to essential services.
