Thunder Bay – Wildfire Update – Twenty-nine new fires were discovered in the Northwest Region by the late afternoon of July 14 with more reports yet to be investigated.
At the time of this update there are 97 active fires in the northwest region. A total of 39 fires are not under control, 10 fires are being held, 20 fires are under control and 28 fires are being observed.
Northwest Region
Kenora sector
The Kenora sector saw 12 new fires, including a cluster of four small new starts (Kenora 83, 84, 85 and 86) west of Sup Lake, approximately 37 kilometres west of Perrault Falls. All fires are 0.1 hectares in size.
- Another cluster of three fires (Kenora 90, 91 and 92) are located north of Kakagi Lake, approximately 84 kilometres southeast of Kenora.
- Kenora 82 is the sector’s largest new fire at 1.8 hectares (not under control). The fire is located on an island on Big Fox Lake, approximately 38 kilometres northeast of Minaki.
- Red Lake sector
The Red Lake sector saw seven new fire starts in various remote locations including Red Lake 106 (0.1 hectares, not under control), located approximately 11 kilometres north of Pikangikum. - Also of note, Red Lake 103 is located approximately 16 kilometres west/southwest of the community of North Spirit Lake.
- Sioux Lookout sector
- Sioux Lookout sector saw two new fire starts, including Sioux Lookout 54 (1.0 hectare not under control), located approximately 14 kilometres northwest of Cat Lake First Nation.
- Nipigon sector
- Nipigon sector saw two new fire starts today including Nipigon 43, located approximately 25 kilometres southeast of Nakina. The 0.5 hectare fire is under control.
- Nipigon 44 is located north of Stone Lake, approximately 79 kilometres northwest of Nakina. The 0.1 hectare fire is not under control.
- Fort Frances sector
- Fort Frances sector saw three new fire starts today including Fort Frances 58 (0.1 hectares, not under control) and Fort Frances 58 (0.8 hectares, not under control) – a cluster of small fires east of Lower Manitou Lake, approximately 80 kilometres northeast of Fort Frances.
- Thunder Bay sector
- Four new fires were found in the Thunder Bay sector including Thunder Bay 73, located near Pearl, east of the city. The 0.1 hectare fire is not under control.
- The wildland fire hazard is high to extreme across most of the region with areas of moderate and low hazard in the far north reaches of Sioux Lookout and Nipigon districts and the area surrounding Thunder Bay.
- AFFES is currently responding to many fires on the landscape. Stay informed of the location, size, status of all active wildland fires in the province on the interactive fire map at Ontario.ca/forestfire
- Fires of Note
- Kenora 51
- Fire is not under control at 84,545 hectares.
- Crews are maintaining sprinklers on structures in the vicinity of the fire
- Fire has been active over the past several days producing smoke at the local level
- Crews are establishing hoselines on sections of the fire
- 21 crews and 13 helicopters are assigned to this fire.
- An Incident Management Team is established on the fire.
- Red Lake 65
- Not under control at 11942 hectares
- Located approximately 10 kilometres west of Poplar Hill First Nation
- Crews are maintaining sprinklers on structures in the vicinity of the fire.
- Aerial ignition is being used to bring to the fire to natural boundaries
- Continuous air attack on the southern and eastern edges of the fire today
- Red Lake 68
- Not under control at 21356 hectares
- Located southeast of Pringle Lake, approximately 55 kilometres northeast of Red Lake.
- Six crews are assigned to this fire.
- Red Lake 77
- Not under control at 19251 hectares
- Approximately 36 kilometres west of Red Lake
- Crews are setting up sprinklers to protect communities and critical infrastructure
Forest fire emergency restrictions lifted in the Fort Frances District
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry is advising the public that the forest fire Implementation Order that was put in place due to extreme fire activity in the Fort Frances 47 area, is no longer in effect. Restrictions related to the evacuation, travel, use and access of the previously identified areas have been lifted.
The public is reminded that Fort Frances 47 is an active fire with ongoing fire suppression. Please be mindful of crews working the fires and near roadways.
The interior of a forest fire is dangerous and the public should not enter this area. Trees with weakened root systems could fall over and cause injury. There will be visible smoke in the interior of this fire for some time. This is the normal process for extinguishing a forest fire.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry would like to thank the public for their cooperation during this time.
Restricted Fire Zone in effect
Due to high to extreme forest fire hazard conditions, effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday July 10, the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry has issued updated boundaries for a Restricted Fire Zone in the Kenora, Fort Frances, Dryden and Thunder Bay Districts and portions of the Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Nipigon and Wawa Districts. The Restricted Fire Zone will be in effect until further notice. Outdoor fires are banned. Portable gas stoves may still be used BUT must be handled with extreme care. You can learn more about Restricted Fire Zones here. For a more detailed boundary of the Restricted Fire Zone see the attached map, consult the interactive fire map at Ontario.ca/forestfire or find the map here.
