THUNDER BAY – Two new wildfires were confirmed on August 15. Nipigon District Fire Number 18 is being held at 1.0 hectares (ha) and is located near Fort Hope First Nation. Thunder Bay Fire District Number 14 has been declared out at 0.5 ha and was located west of Raith.
There were two new forest fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the afternoon of August 16. Kenora District Fire Number 17 is not under control at 1.0 ha and is located near Clearwater Bay. Sioux Lookout District Fire Number 19 is being monitored at 7 ha and is located near Wigwashikak Lake. The Manitoba border areas of the Northwest Region are still maintaining a moderate to high fire hazard.
On Sunday August 17, a high pressure system will push eastwards to the east side of the region maintaining sunny skies and dry condition for most the region, except increasing cloudiness with showers developing in the western districts in the evening.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are monitoring a small wildfire in the Kenora District. This fire is located on a small island north of Windfall Island. This fire is managed under the Lake of the Woods Conservation Reserve Fire Response Plan. This wildfire is helping renew the forest ecosystem in the area. Wildfire in the landscape as an agent for ecosystem renewal is a fundamental component of the wildland fire strategy in Ontario. The Lake of the Woods Conservation Reserve is located in an area where the Prairie, Great Lakes–St. Lawrence, and Boreal forest regions converge. Historically, fire has been a frequent natural disturbance in this area. Many plants and animals of the area are adapted to and/or depend on fires to create and maintain suitable habitat. It does not pose a threat to people or property.
For more information please call the Kenora Fire Management Headquarters at (807) 548-1919.
Out of province dispatches
Resource movement continues from Ontario out to British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. There are 464 personnel from Ontario at this time with 316 in British Columbia and 148 in the Northwest Territories. More personnel including overhead staff and FireRanger crews are scheduled outbound later this week, while resources that have reached the end of their duty time are also scheduled to return from the Northwest Territories.
Ontario is also providing equipment including 430 power pumps, six thousand lengths of hose, two values protection units and 41 portable relay tanks to British Columbia.
