Five new fires reported over weekend

The Fort Frances, Dryden, Nipigon, and Sioux Lookout districts all reported new forest fires over the weekend, bringing the total to 82 so far this season in the West Fire Region.
Fort Frances District had a 0.1. hectare fire Saturday, east of Namakan Lake, while another was reported yesterday at the southern tip of Quetico Provincial Park, MNR fire information officer Deb McLean reported Monday morning.
This second fire—0.3. ha in size—was expected to be “under control” by the end of Monday, she added. The Namakan Lake fire already has been declared “out.”
The causes of both these fires still are being determined.
Fort Frances District has seen eight fires so far this spring, with 1,234 ha consumed (mostly due to one large fire north of Rainy River in mid-April).
Meanwhile, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, and Nipigon districts saw one fire each over the weekend. All of these were less than 0.3 ha in size, said McLean, adding all were “out” as of this morning.
Dryden District has seen a total of four fires since April 1, consuming just 0.3. ha.
Thirteen fires have burned in Nipigon District since April 1, consuming six ha, while Sioux Lookout District has seen eight, charring 2.8 ha.
Kenora District has had 12 fires so far, burning 4.6 ha, while Red Lake District has seen 11 blazes burning about 9.0 ha since the fire season began April 1.
Thunder Bay District has seen the most fires to date (22), which have consumed 17.9 ha.
The fire hazard is “low to moderate” in all fire districts in the region, except for Dryden (“low”) and Thunder Bay (“low to high”).
But McLean noted this recent rash of fires was a sign that despite the rain the region has received lately, the fire hazard can turn around at almost anytime and the public always should be cautious when having open fires.
She added all but a few fires that have occurred so far this fire season were caused by humans, whether they be campfires that weren’t properly extinguished or children playing with matches.
The balance were sparked by lightning.