An order banning open fires across Northwestern Ontario was lifted today as the number of wildfires across the region has dropped dramatically and new fire starts are dwindling. The Town of Fort Frances, and Chapple, Emo and La Vallee Fire and Emergency Services have also lifted their ban on fires.
The Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) in place for the Northwest Region was revoked at just after noon, the Ministry of Natural Resources announced on its Ontario Forest Fires (OFF) website.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources would like to thank Ontarians and visitors for doing their part to help prevent wildland fires and keep communities safe,” MNR said on the Ontario Fires website. “Please continue to use extreme caution and follow Ontario’s Outdoor Fires Regulations when having an outdoor fire.”
“The province will continue to assess wildland fire hazard conditions, and an RFZ designation may be reinstated in higher-risk areas if the fire hazard and fire activity warrant it.”
Several evacuation orders and implementation orders (which temporarily ban travel, recreation and use of specific local roads, forests, lakes and Crown lands without a permit) were also rescinded across the region.
At the time of its latest update Wednesday night, there were 69 active wildland fires in the Northwest, seven of thoseconsidered not under control, three being held,11 under control and 48 under observation. So far this year, there have been 742 wildfires, compared to 491 in 2025 and a 10-year average of 609.
Firefighters continued to work on the largest group of fires in the Rainy River District, the so-called Atikokan Cluster in and around Quetico Provincial Park, but “recent rainfall has helped keep fire behaviour to a minimum,” OFF said.
“Crews continue to seek out and extinguish hotspots identified by infrared scans and demobilize equipment from areas where the fire perimeter has been contained. Helicopters are being utilized for crew and equipment movement as well as bucketing support as required.”
Of the Atikokan Cluster fires, FOR013 measured 25,476 hectares and was being observed, while FOR014 measured 51,768 hectares and FOR015 measured 42,273 hectares, and neither was considered under control.
Meanwhile, an evacuation alert for the area around active wildland fire Fort Frances 39 at the western edge of Quetico Park and Minnesota’s Thumb Fire was lifted on Tuesday.
“Wildland fire suppression activities are ongoing for this fire,but public safety relating to this fire is no longer a concern,” OFF said. “Residents and visitors should continue to remain aware of local conditions and follow any direction provided by local authorities or emergency officials.”
Wildland fire activity remained low across the Rinker Lake Complex, which includes the monster Thunder Bay 36 (THU036) fire at more than 300,000 hectares and the smaller but still significant Dryden 34 (DRY034) and Dryden 35 (DRY035) fires.
A total of 30 crews from Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Mexico and 14 helicopters are dedicated to the area, OFF said.
“FireRanger crews continued to clear hotspots across the complex, finding some areas with considerable heat. However, long stretches of the perimeter have now been cleared and rechecked, with no heat or hotspots detected.”
THU036, located deep inside Wabakimi Provincial Park about 220 km north of Thunder Bay near Armstrong/Whitesand First Nation, is considered the largest wildfire in Ontario history, mapped at more than 314,000 hectares at its peak, destroyed Namaygoosisagagun (Collins) First Nation and heavily impacted Whitesand and Armstrong.
An evacuation order for THU036 was also lifted today, allowing travel and use of roads and lakes in the area to resume.
