There were three new fires in the Northwest Region by the late afternoon of June 15.
- Kenora 30 is currently 5.7 hectares and not under control. The fire is located south of Turtle Lake.
- Red Lake 23 is currently 3 hectares and is being observed. The fire is located south of Sandy Lake.
- Red Lake 24 is currently 2.8 hectares and is being observed. The fire is located southwest of Deer Lake near the Manitoba border.
At the time of this update, there were nine active fires in the region – two of which were not under control, two were being held, two were under control and three were being observed.
Sioux Lookout 8 near Pickle Lake
Sioux Lookout 8 near Pickle Lake is being held at 824 hectares. The ground crews continue to extinguish hotspots identified by infrared scanning.
Red Lake 14 near Pikangikum and Red Lake 17
Red 14 near Pikangikum is now under control at 3,835 hectares. Ground crews continue to locate and extinguish hot spots found by infrared scanning.
Red 17 northeast of Trout Lake is not under control at 6,507 hectares. Crews continue to establish new hose lines with support from aerial water bombing. Firefighters will also continue their efforts consolidating existing hose lines.
Fire hazard for the Northwest Region
The forest fire hazard ranges from low to extreme throughout the Northwest Region, with the areas of most concern situated in the Red Lake, Dryden and Fort Frances districts.
Help prevent forest fires
Adopt safe campfire practices! Choose the site of your campfire carefully and keep your fire small. Stay nearby: never leave it unattended. Put your fire out by drowning it with water. Be sure that it is extinguished prior to leaving the site. Stir the ashes with a stick to uncover hot coals and then drown it again. You can never be too safe.
Consider alternatives to burning brush or yard waste, such as chipping or composting when possible, or saving burn piles for the fall or after the fire season. Use of outdoor fires must follow the outdoor burning rules set out in the Forest Fire Prevention Act of Ontario. Fires are to be started no sooner than two hours before sunset and extinguished no later than two hours after sunrise. Fires should never be left unattended and tools and water should be close at hand to put the fire out. More details on outdoor burning regulations can be found online at Ontario.ca/forestfire
To see a complete list of fires across the province click on our interactive map. You can also get the latest update on the condition of any fire by clicking the fire icon.
Fire numbers and online information:
- Forest Fire Reporting Number – 310-FIRE (3473)
- Follow us on Twitter: @OnForestFire
Report prepared by Shayne McCool
