From the Winnepeg Free Press: Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews are busy conducting an unprecedented city-wide audit of private, commercial and city-owned properties in an effort to reduce the number of arsons in the city.

During the next six weeks, crews will blitz Winnipeg to identify addresses and locations where garbage, leaves, lumber and bulky waste items such as mattresses or couches are at risk of either catching fire or attracting arsonists.

As of Thursday morning, crews had spoken with more than 460 property owners about fire risks, left notices at 400 more addresses and called city disposal crews to 200 additional locations.

Officials estimate they've made almost 1,150 contacts with the community in just five days. But it will take another three to five weeks to cover the entire city. Read the entire article here.