Lightning sparks rash of fires

Firefighters have been busy as storm activity across the region resulted in 43 new blazes since Friday–and the hazard continues to climb.
Sioux Lookout remained the hot spot in the West Fire Region, seeing a total of 25 fires–many of which are threatening communities such as Bearskin Lake.
About eight mm of rain which fell on Bearskin Lake on Sunday afternoon and yesterday assisted firefighters tackling the 11 blazes in that area.
More than 60 MNR firefighters, including two four-person crews from Fort Frances, four helicopters, and a Twin Otter waterbomber, have been dedicated to this cluster of fires.
Sioux Lookout Fire #44, located about eight km from the community, is 125 hectares in size, with four FireRanger crews battling it. Sioux Lookout Fire #46, a five-ha. blaze burning about 10 km southeast of Bearskin Lake, is not expected to grow in size.
Meanwhile, Sioux Lookout Fire #47 is a 100-ha. blaze active 26 km south of the community.
Under normal conditions, fires in this area would be permitted to burn naturally. But due to the number of fires in the area, officials are preparing a suppression plan.
Meanwhile, Sioux Lookout Fire #48 threatened some residents’ homes on the south end of Michikan Lake, coming within one km of the community.
But firefighters managed to get the 0.3 ha. blaze “under control.”
Of the 43 new fires, two started in Dryden District, one in Kenora, six in Nipigon, and 10 in Red Lake. Those in Kenora and Dryden have been put “out.”
Fort Frances hasn’t seen a new fire for about a week.
A total of 328 fires, consuming 4,656 ha., have burned in the West Fire Region since April 1.