Office and the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services Fire Management
Headquarters in Kenora coordinated the ecosystem renewal burn on selected islands
in the Lake of the Woods Conservation Reserve.
THUNDER BAY – WILD FIRE Update – There were five new fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the evening of May 6 in the districts of Nipigon, Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay.
Forest fires caused by lightning have now been reported in the Northwest Region along with multiple wildfires started by people. Although rain is in the forecast there are also thunderstorms so more lightning-caused fires are predicted to occur in the next few days.
Kenora District conducted a prescribed burn today on islands of Lake of the Woods. In recent years, the Kenora Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry District Office and Fire Management Headquarters staff have been managing forest fires within the Lake of the Woods ecosystem with the goal of integrating fire back onto the landscape for ecosystem renewal purposes.
The purpose of prescribed burning on the islands of the Lake of the Woods Conservation Reserve is to:
- Reintroduce fire to some of the Lake of the Woods Conservation Reserve islands in a manner that emulates the distribution and behavior of naturally caused forest fires to recover and maintain ecological integrity;
- Reintroduce fire to islands in a manner that provides for the protection of human life and well-being, structures and selected natural and cultural heritage features;
- Reintroduce fire in a scientifically rigorous manner that allows extending knowledge gained across the conservation reserve and,
- Determine the effects of fire on the islands and the potential successional patterns resulting from the reintroduction of fire (to support future fire management planning.
by early afternoon of May 6.
The Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services program is reminding people that they are responsible for safe outdoor fire management and must follow guidelines set out in the Forest Fires Prevention Act of Ontario including no day burning of brush or grass fires.
For further tips on how to be FireSmart, visit ontario.ca/firesmart
For more information about the current fire situation and the active fires map, ontario.ca/forestfire
Report forest fires by calling 310-FIRE (3473).
The Next Northwest District Fire Report will be on May 9 2015
