Despite recent precipitation, the forest fire situation in Ontario’s Northwestern Region continues to escalate. Forestry and industrial activity across the region has been restricted, and a total fire ban remains in place.
As of the last report, there were 140 fires burning across the district, including 14 new blazes.
Fires of note include
- Red Lake 65, which has prompted the evacuation of Polar Hill First Nation. It has burned 17,598 ha, and is 6 km from the community.
- Red Lake 51 has prompted the evacuation of Deer Lake First Nation. It is 51,925 hectares, located 24 km west of the community. Three crews are focussed on the protection of the community and infrastructure. Fire activity has been limited in the past few days.
- Sioux Lookout 60 is 1,487 hectares, located 8 km west of the community. Recent rains have assisted crews there, which are being overseen by an Incident Management team from Nova Scotia.
- Red Lake 77 is 24,404 ha, burning 33 km west of Red Lake. Fire crews have been joined by municipal firefighters, and 30 pieces of heavy machinery and their operators, which are building 40 km of fire guard.
- Kenora 51 is not under control, and has burned 146,519 ha. The fire has been active in recent days, and crews are working to bring it to natural boundaries.
New fires include:
- Fort France 84 is being held at 0.3 hectares and is located near Long Muddy Lake, approximately 23 kilometres northwest of Atikokan
- Dryden 89 is not under control at 0.7 hectares and is located near Barrel Lake, approximately 34 kilometres north of Ignace
- Dryden 90 is not under control at 0.3 hectares and is located south of East Godson Lake, approximately 22 kilometres south of Dryden.
- Sioux Lookout 110 is not under control at 0.1 hectares and is located near Mawley Lake, approximately 109 kilometres northwest of Pickle Lake.
- Fort Frances 85 is not under control at 0.3 hectares and is located near Panorama Lake, approximately 52 kilometres northwest of Fort Frances.
- Fort Frances 86 is not under control at 0.4 hectares and is located approximately 27 kilometres north of Fort Frances
- Fort Frances 87 is not under control at 0.4 hectares and is located approximately 25 kilometres northeast of Fort Frances.
- Kenora 118 is not under control at 0.1 hectares and is located near Obabikon Lake, approximately 61 kilometres south of Kenora.
- Dryden 91 is not under control at 3 hectares and is located near Sturgeon Lake, approximately 5 kilometres south of Savant Lake.
- Fort Frances 88 is not under control at 0.1 hectares and is located near Obikoba Lake, approximately 36 kilometres northeast of Fort Frances.
- Red Lake 186 is not under control at 0.1 hectares and is located near Dixie Lake, approximately 23 kilometres southeast of Red Lake.
- Sioux Lookout 111 is not under control at 0.2 hectares and is located near Horseshoe Lake, approximately 246 northeast of Sioux Lookout.
- Fort Frances 89 is not under control at 0.3 hectares and is located 72 kilometres northwest of Fort Frances.
- Dryden 92 is being observed at 0.1 hectares and is located on an island on Kukukus Lake, approximately 42 kilometres north of Ignace.
At the time of this update there were 140 active fires in the northwest region. 48 fires were not under control, 7 fires were being held, 25 fires were under control and 60 fires were being monitored. The forest fire hazard is high with extreme areas in the Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, Thunder Bay and Red Lake districts. Nipigon district and the eastern half of Sioux Lookout district have a moderate to low hazard.
AFFES is currently responding to many fires on the landscape. Stay informed of the location, size, status of all active wildland fires in the province on the interactive fire map at Ontario.ca/forestfire
