Oliver Paipoonge has added itself to the list of rural Thunder Bay-area communities that have implemented municipal fire bans as the risk of new wildland fires heats up.
Under the Oliver Paipoonge ban that took effect Friday at 8 a.m. “no burning will be allowed in the municipality until the ban is lifted,” according to a notice posted to the municipality’s website.
It added: “No new fire permits will be issued during the fire ban, and all existing fire permits are suspended until further notice.”
Conmee, Gillies, Neebing and O’Connor townships issued similar bans earlier in the week. There was no word on Friday whether Thunder Bay or nearby Shuniah planned similar measures.
Those who light fires during municipal bans can face fines of several hundred dollars. Some municipalities in southern Ontario routinely impose fire bans until mid-May to prevent grass fires from sparking up.
Meanwhile, a regional spokesman for the provincial agency that oversees provincial firefighting efforts said “there is no restricted fire zone for the Northwest region in development at this time, though hazard conditions remain elevated in the western side of the region and spring hazard conditions can change quickly.”
Restricted fire zones, which are different from municipal bans, are temporary measures to prevent human-caused fires. Municipalities can impose their own bans in areas where restricted fire zones are not in place.
Also on Friday, Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) agency advised that some parts of Northwestern Ontario may smell smoke drifting from a wildfire located about 60 kilometres northwest of Kenora.
Late Thursday, the fire was less than one hectare in size but was considered not under control. The blaze has been attacked by waterbombers.
As of Friday morning, 32 fires recorded so far this season by Ontario Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services across the province had burned over less than three square kilometre of land.
That compared to the 10-year average of 77 square kilometres for the same period, according to statistics by the Ontario Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services.
