THUNDER BAY – Wildfire Update – There were two new fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the afternoon of Aug. 16.
- Dryden 24 was located near the railway corridor approximately 3 kilometres west of Ignace. The 0.1-hectare fire has been declared out.
- Nipigon 31 is located south of the Ottertail River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of Armstrong. At three hectares in size, the fire is not under control.
- Sioux Lookout 59 was discovered in the evening hours of Aug. 15. Located east of Meen Lake approximately 42 kilometres southeast of the community Cat Lake, the fire is not under control at 8.4 hectares.
At the time of this post, there were 30 active fires in the region. Two fires were not under control, four fires were under control and 24 fires were being observed. Two fires were declared out today.
Fire hazard for the Northwest Region
The scattered nature of recent precipitation has resulted in variable fire hazard conditions, ranging from low to moderate and high in all sectors throughout the Northwest Region.
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)
