The Ministry of Natural Resources lifted the Restricted Fire Zone across the Northwest Region at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, with the exception of Zones 8, 10, and 11.
Zone 8 covers Quetico Provincial Park.
Zones 10 and 11 include all lands within an area starting on the west at the community of English River on Highway 17, running southerly to the Minnesota border, easterly to Lake Superior and continuing easterly along the shoreline to the Nipigon River, following the river northerly to the power dam, and then running westerly along the Trans-Canada Pipeline to English River.
In other news, the MNR and Minnesota fire management programs opened access to areas in the vicinity of fires at Gunflint, Saganaga, and Northern Lights Lake at midnight last night.
To ensure continued safe and efficient fire management of Thunder Bay Fire #37 and on the Ham Lake Fire along the tip of the trail, people should use caution when travelling on roads, across land, or while boating as work will continue on these fires until further notice.
Meanwhile, all roads that had been closed around Thunder Bay Fire #37 were opened at midnight last night, except for two access points on Sandstone Lake, which will remain closed until further notice.
Access was opened to Prelate, Little North, Gunflint, Reta, Madalaine, Icarus, Northern Lights, and Saganaga Lakes.
Residents of Sandstone Lake who need to pass through the Thunder Bay Fire #37 incident management base camp require travel permits from the Thunder Bay Fire Management Headquarters (1580 Arthur St. W.)
And while Sioux Lookout Fire #11 currently is classified as “being held,” an EAO remains in effect around it to ensure firefighter and public safety.
Under the EAO, all travel and use of the Rusty Myer’s Camp 700 road and branch roads off the Rusty Myer’s Camp 700 road, as well as travel and use of the 702 Road, and the 701 Road and all branch roads off the 701 Roads, is prohibited unless authorized by a travel permit issued by the Sioux Lookout District of the MNR.
< *c>Busy season
A Ministry of Natural Resources review of fire statistics from last year shows the 2007 fire season has been significantly more active.
So far this season, there have been 164 fires affecting 31,005.2 hectares of forest in Northwestern Ontario.
In 2006, up to the May long weekend, the Northwest Fire Region had recorded 77 fires affecting just 69 hectares of forest.
The 10-year average (1996-2006) from the beginning of the fire season (April 1) to the May long weekend is 93 fires affecting 21,228 ha.
There currently are eight active fires in the West Fire Region, covering 30,609 ha.
Three of these fires are in Nipigon District, both Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay districts have two, and Red Lake District has one
The fire hazard is “low to medium” to “medium” in all seven regional fire districts. Fort Frances District is “medium.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
