Staff
No new fires were reported in the West Fire Region over the weekend, but the fire hazard has jumped to “high” for the southern portion of Fort Frances District and part of the Thunder Bay area.
“While most of the region is at a ‘moderate’ fire hazard . . . we have a ‘high’ hazard along the southern border area, so that does affect Fort Frances District, moreso along the east end of the district than the entire district,” MNR fire information officer Deb McLean said this morning.
“The implication of that higher hazard is that there is a higher risk of fires escaping if people aren’t careful with their outdoor fires,” she noted.
“I don’t think we have a lot of lightning issues at this point in time, so human-caused fires would be our concern.”
There currently are 23 active fires in the region, burning more than 13,474 hectares.
A dozen of these are in Nipigon District, with nine others in Sioux Lookout and two in Red Lake.
There has been a total of 144 fires to date, consuming 13,652.8 ha in all.
According to the MNR, summer evenings are a great time to enjoy family and friends, and share stories around the campfire.
It also is a great opportunity to teach fire safety to our future generations.
If children are present, ensure they are not running or playing near the fire.
As well, keep your fire small, have a shovel and bucket of water on hand, and never leave the fire unattended.
Leading by example is a great way to teach fire safety.
