While there’s no guarantee wildfire smoke won’t drift into Thunder Bay this weekend, those who live in the city or nearby might still take some comfort in knowing that the nearest active fire is burning a fair distance away.
According to Friday’s update from the province’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) agency, Thunder Bay No. 25 was burning on a small island on Lac Des Mille Lacs, about 19 kilometres southeast of Upsala.
The blaze, less than one hectare in size, is one of three small fires that lit up on Friday.
It was one of 52 active fires across the Northwest that were being monitored by provincial crews, with only four of those classified as not under control.
“Wildland fire hazard is mainly high in the Kenora and Fort Frances fire management areas, moderate to high in the Dryden and Thunder Bay areas, and mainly low to moderate in the Nipigon, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake areas,” an agency bulletin said.
Among the fires not under control was Red Lake No. 99, which has been pegged at about 300 square kilometres north-east of Poplar Hill First Nation.
“Low fire behaviour is helping three crews make good progress on ongoing firefighting priorities” targeting No. 99, the agency said. “More rain is in the forecast for the fire area.”
Though the 2025 wildfire season across Ontario has been fairly severe, it likely won’t end up as the worst on record.
According to AFFES data, wildfires have burned just over 5,900 square kilometres across the province as of the end of this week.
That’s about triple the 10-year average, but still short of amounts burned over in previous years.
By the time the last wildfire was out in Ontario in 2021, for example, more than 7,800 square kilometres had been torched.
In 2011, the total amount burned totalled just over 6,300 square kilometres.
“This season is actually below the 10-year average for fire numbers, but above the 10 year average in hectares (burned),” AFFES regional spokesman Chris Marchand noted.
Meanwhile, it doesn’t appear that wildfire smoke has impacted farmland production near Thunder Bay.
“As far as I know, there seems to be no adverse effect of smoke on the crops,” said Tarlok Singh Sahota, director of Lakehead University’s agricultural research station just west of the city.
