Fire ban in effect

A Restricted Fire Zone went into effect at 12:01 a.m. today for much of Northwestern Ontario, including the Fort Frances District, to reduce the risk of human-caused blazes while the fire hazard remains “high” to “extreme” in the West Fire Region.
All outdoor fires—including campfires, brush, and incinerator fires—are banned until further notice. Portable propane or gas cook stoves can be used.
The weather forecast shows little relief in sight for firefighters, who have been dealing with a flurry of new activity in the region following hot weather and lightning strikes associated with thunderstorms.
The fire ban extends west from Lake Nipigon and the Nipigon River, south of the CN rail line, and west to the Red Lake and Kenora districts.
It also includes most of the Dryden district, the south half of the Red Lake and Thunder Bay districts, and all of the Kenora and Fort Frances districts, including Quetico Provincial Park.
Local FireRanger crews responded to multiple fire starts yesterday, mostly in the Vedette Lake area as trees hit by lightning flared into wildfires.
Meanwhile, an Emergency Area Order has been placed in the area of Kenora Fire #110, near Minaki, to provide MNR enforcement officers with authority to restrict travel and to move people out of harm’s way in relation to the forest fire.
Highway 596 remains closed to traffic under the direction of the OPP in consultation with fire managers.
This road closure is to ensure public safety while fire suppression activities go on—and also ensures greater security for the properties whose residents had to evacuate.
  Police are located at the junction of the Pickerel Lake Road and Highway 596, with no travel being permitted into the Pickerel Lake Road area and north to Minaki.
During the late evening, people are travelling out of the area via escorted vehicles.
  Kenora Fire #110, which started Sunday afternoon in the Catherine Lake area, about 30 km north of Kenora, so far has resulted in the loss of five cottages and their outbuildings.
About 120 people were evacuated from the Catherine, Catastrophe, and Pelicanpouch lakes on Sunday and more were moved from the Fox and Wade Lake areas yesterday.
Officials have advised property owners of any lost or damaged values.
The cause of this fire remains under investigation.