Staff
There were 18 confirmed forest fires reported in the Northwest Region between Monday and yesterday.
One new blaze was confirmed by yesterday afternoon.
Sioux Lookout Fire #240 was listed as “under control” at 0.1 hectares in size at last report.
A total of 15 forest fires were confirmed on Wednesday alone, with a majority of these the result of trees falling on power lines due to the high winds.
Many of these fires are listed as “out,” “under control,” or “being held.”
Among them is Fort Frances Fire #20, which now is reported as “being held” at 1.5 ha on Nowhere Island on Rainy Lake.
One fire of note is Sioux Lookout Fire #237, which grew to 120 ha in size.
Located near the northwest corner of Wabakimi Park, it is listed as “being observed.”
Two fires were confirmed between Oct. 16 and 17, both of which are “now out.”
The fire hazard is “low” to “moderate” in the northern portions of the region but “high” in the southern portions, including Fort Frances District.
In related news, the Sakwite Lake prescribed burn in Fort Frances District was planned for ignition today pending favourable weather conditions.
It was postponed Wednesday and again yesterday due to the weather.
Meanwhile, the Wind Lake prescribed burn in Sioux Lookout District was ignited Oct. 13, with the aim of restoring and maintaining the health, integrity, and sustainability of the forest ecosystem for pine and spruce regeneration.
Returning the site to a conifer-dominated forest stand aims at improving moose and woodland caribou habitat.
It also reduced forest fuel hazard from damaged forests as a result of a tornado in 2009.
This reduction of hazardous fuel benefits public and firefighter safety.
This prescribed burn also provides an opportunity to continue forest fire research to gather more information about fires in storm-damaged forests.
