Dry spring may spell fire trouble

While many people are happy about the unusually warm weather we’ve been having lately, the Ministry of Natural Resources knows springtime without precipitation can equal trouble.
MNR fire information officer Deb McLean said Thursday the MNR has seen a total of five fires in the West Fire Region since the fire season began April 1, including one in Fort Frances District.
The seven-ha fire, which started Tuesday just north of Fort Frances (off McIrvine Road), was listed as “under control” as of Thursday afternoon and expected to be “out” by the end of that day.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Two of the other fires in the past two weeks have been in Nipigon District, while Kenora District and Thunder Bay District each have seen one.
Altogether, the fires have consumed 8.5 ha.
“Snow is melting very quickly across the region,” noted McLean. “The region is 92 percent snow-free. It is potentially hazardous because the vegetation that’s been exposed is still dead.
“There’s no moisture content, and that means there’s a potential for wildfires,” she warned.
“The fire hazard here is moderate to high,” noted local MNR fire operations supervisor Marnie Brown, referring to Fort Frances District.
“And we expect it stay that way for some time,” she added. “We thought we’d be okay this spring but things have become surprisingly dry, surprisingly fast.”
McLean noted the public should know the Forest Fire Prevention Act is now in effect , which means burning during the day is prohibited. Anyone not living in an organized area who wants to do any burning at all should contact their local MNR office and check the regulations.
Meanwhile, Fort Frances Fire Chief Steve Richardson noted any town resident who wants to burn yard waste or anything else had better contact the fire department first.
The fire department will take a look at what the resident wants to burn, and where, and then assess whether a permit will be issued.
Chief Richardson noted the town also follows the Forest Fire Prevention Act guidelines, in that a town resident cannot light a fire more than two hours before sunset and it must be extinguished within two hours after sunrise.