As permits resume being required for outdoor burning in rural areas near Thunder Bay, the Municipality of Neebing is reminding ratepayers to ensure they have the right documents for the tasks at hand.
“The types of burning permits available has changed,” a municipal bulletin said this week. “Be sure you are applying for the proper burning permit.”
Neebing burn permits fall under different categories, including separate ones for brush piles, campfires and incineration.
“All permits become suspended if a fire ban or restricted fire zone is declared” in the municipality, the bulletin noted.
Meanwhile, as the Ministry of Natural Resources marked the official start to wildfire season on Wednesday, it noted that half of wildfire blazes that require suppression are caused by human carelessness.
To bolster its firefighting force, the province said it has added nearly 70 staffers for the upcoming wildfire season.
Last year, the ministry hired more than 630 fire rangers spread over 143 crews that fought on the front lines.
Last year’s wildfire season was among the worst on record in Ontario, with more than 640 fires burning over nearly 6,000 square kilometres of land — an area comparable to the land mass of Prince Edward Island, a ministry backgrounder said.
The province maintains a fleet of 28 firefighting aircraft, including nine CL-415 “heavy” waterbombers, helicopters and fixed wing planes.
In the early 2030s, the ministry expects to receive delivery of six DHC-515 waterbombers it has ordered at a cost of $500 million.
In Ontario, wildfire season is from April 1 to Oct. 31. Wildfire sightings in Northwestern Ontario can be reported to the Ministry of Natural Resources at 310-3473.
