THUNDER BAY – The warm temperatures are continuing to dry out the woodlands and create conditions that are ripe for forest fires. The Ministry of Natural Resources reports that “13 new forest fires confirmed in Northwestern Ontario by 4:30PM today”.
As well, “Several other reports of possible fires were still being investigated.
The number of active fires stands at 118. Nipigon, North Bay and Cochrane districts all reported multiple new starts.
Additional resources from other jurisdictions are beginning to arrive in Ontario to assist with the wildfire situation. Newfoundland and Quebec each dispatched two CL-415 water bombers to Ontario. The planes arrived the afternoon of Friday July 20. On Sunday July 22 and Monday July 23, an additional nine FireRanger crews will arrive in Ontario.
Five of the crews will be from Saskatchewan and four will be from Parks Canada. These personnel will join twenty-two fire staff from Minnesota who arrived in Ontario earlier in the week.
Ontario presently has a total of 10 staff members working outside the province.