Staff
While the rest of the Northwest Region was quiet, two new fires were reported yesterday here in Fort Frances District.
Fort Frances Fire #49 is a 0.1-hectare blaze on Korpi Lake, just east of Highway 502.
The lightning-caused fire currently is classified as “being held.”
Fort Frances Fire #48 is a 0.4-ha blaze just north of Harris Lake. Also caused by lightning, it is classified as “not under control.”
These are the only two active fires in this district.
While the fire hazard is “moderate” to “high” across the region, the number of actives fires gradually is dwindling, with now just 26 in the region, the Ministry of Natural Resources reported late yesterday.
Red Lake District declared 15 fires “out” yesterday, all of which were long-standing monitored fires in the far north.
Nipigon District also declared six monitored fires “out.”
A fire of note is Dryden Fire #41, located on Boat Island on Eagle Lake about 15 km south of Vermilion Bay, which was confirmed Tuesday evening.
This lightning-caused blaze is currently 0.2 ha in size.
A fire assessment has been completed, and this blaze is not threatening any property or communities.
It will be managed under the Eagle Lake Islands Fire Response Plan, which came into effect August, 2009 and includes the Eagle Lake Islands Conservation Reserve.
The Eagle Lake Islands Conservation Reserve encompasses a total area of 3,403 hectares, and includes the majority of Crown land islands on Eagle Lake.
The conservation reserve contains remnant old-growth red and white pine forests on many islands, as well as a rich variety of recreational values and First Nation cultural sites.
This area is home to a variety of wildlife species, such as bald eagles, black terns, and lake trout.
It also provides a recreational travel corridor for visitors travelling to and from the adjacent Eagle-Dogtooth Provincial Park.
In other news, one CL-415 waterbomber and a Birddog from Dryden were deployed on a quick strike assignment Tuesday afternoon to a forest fire in Minnesota south of Quetico Provincial Park.
This fire is estimated at two hectares.
Elsewhere, Ontario FireRanger crews and overhead personnel currently on deployment in British Columbia have gotten their assignments.
Crews have been placed strategically throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre region and are on alert for initial attack, as well as working on existing fires in the Merritt and Lillooet areas.
The Kamloops Fire Centre region is now under an “extreme” hazard.
