Thunder Bay – Wildfire Update – At the time of this update there are 102 active fires in the northwest region. Thirty-four fires are not under control, seven fires are being held, 18 fires are under control and 43 fires are being observed. A total of 13 fires were called out today.
There is a cold front forecast to move through the region on Sunday. That will end the heat warnings, but could cause thunderstorms.
Northwest Region
- Fifteen new fires were discovered in the northwest region by the early evening of July 17.
- Nipigon 55 is located west of Hawke Lake near Auden on the CNR rail corridor. The 0.5 hectare fire is not under control.
- Sioux Lookout 62 is located near the Fawn River, approximately 51 kilometres west of the community of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Big Trout Lake). The 0.8 hectare fire is not under control.
- Kenora 102 is located west of North Scot Lake, approximately 55 kilometres west/northwest of Kenora. The 30 hectare fire is not under control and received air attack this afternoon.
- Fort Frances 66 (10 hectares, not under control) and Fort Frances 67 (0.3 hectares, not under control are located north of Pipestone Lake, approximately 53 kilometres north of Fort Frances. These fires received air attack today.
- Red Lake 127 is located south of Hornby Lake, approximately 44 kilometres southwest of North Spirit Lake First Nation, the 553 hectare fire is being observed.
- Nipigon 56 is located approximately 2.5 kilometres southeast of Schreiber. The 0.2 hectare fire is not under control.
- Red Lake 128 (1.0 hectare, not under control) and Red Lake 130 (0.1 hectare, not under control) are located approximately 28 kilometres west/southwest of the remote community of North Spirit Lake First Nation.
- Red Lake 129 is located near Margot lake, approximately 15 kilometres west of the community of North Spirit Lake. The 8 hectare fire is not under control.
- Sioux Lookout 63 is located north of Pipestone River Provincial Park, approximately 121 kilometres north of Pickle Lake. The 80 hectare fire is being observed.
- Red Lake 131 is located 27 kilometres southwest of North Spirit First Nation, The 0.2 hectare fire is not under control.
- Kenora 103 is located west of Turtle Lake, approximately four kilometres northwest of the community of Wabaseemoong Independent Nation. The 0.2 hectare fire is not under control.
- Red Lake 132 is located approximately 18 kilometres southwest of North Spirit Lake First Nation, The 0.1 hectare fire is not under control.
- Kenora 104 is located on a peninsula on Tetu Lake, approximately 10 kilometres north of the community of Wabaseemoong Independent Nation (Whitedog). The 0.3 hectare fire is not under control.
- Red Lake 133 is located approximately 28 kilometres west of North Spirit Lake First Nation. The 0.2 hectare fire is not under control.
- The wildland fire hazard is mostly extreme throughout the southern part of the northwest region. Areas in the far north range from extreme hazard to low hazard as a result of scattered overnight precipitation.
- At the time of this update there are 102 active fires in the northwest region. Thirty-four fires are not under control, seven fires are being held, 18 fires are under control and 43 fires are being observed. A total of 13 fires were called out today.
- 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
- Red Lake 65 – of concern to Poplar Hill First Nation
- Fire is sized at 12,325 hectares and is now 7km northwest of the community.
- Fire behaviour is too aggressive to safely put out ground crews. The safety of our firefighters is a top priority. Fire officials are looking for opportunities to bring the fire to natural boundaries.
- Three FireRanger crews assigned to protect the community and critical infrastructure.
- Smoke and visibility pose challenges for using firefighting aircraft in the area.
- The Ministry of the Solicitor General has coordinated an evacuation of the community.
- Red Lake 51 – Fire of concern to Deer Lake First Nation
- Fire size is sized at 45,776 hectares and is located approximately 24 kilometres west of the community.
- Fire behaviour is too aggressive to safely put out ground crews. The safety of our firefighters is a top priority. Fire officials are looking for opportunities to bring the eastern edge of the fire closest to the community fire to natural boundaries.
- Crews focused on the protection of the community and critical infrastructure.
- The Ministry of the Solicitor General has coordinated an evacuation of the community.
- Red Lake 77 – Fire of concern to Red Lake
- Fire is Not under control at 17,120 hectares and is located approximately 36 kilometres west of Red Lake.
- Firefighters have had to contend with seven new fire starts south of the community since Friday, requiring waterbomber support and helicopters bucketing water.
- Crews are working alongside municipal firefighters to protect the community and critical infrastructure.
- Crews working to protect community and critical infrastructure
- Kenora 51
- Fire is not under control and remapped at 90,134 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
- 13 crews and 12 helicopters are assigned to this fire.
- An Incident Management Team is established on the fire.
Restrictions due to forest fire activity in the Red Lake District
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Red Lake District, is advising the public that due to extreme forest fire activity, an Implementation Order is now in effect until further notice that restricts access and use of certain roads and Crown lands.
All travel, use and access to the following areas are prohibited unless authorized by a travel permit issued by the Red Lake District office.
Specifically, all modes of travel and use of the North road, Pineridge Road, Suffel Lake Road, Iriam Road and the portion of Longlegged Road west of the junction of Conifer Road and Longlegged Road.
All modes of travel/access onto Storey lake, Philip lake, Nungesser lake, including the Sahkeesahkahteekoh weesuhkaheegahn (Pringle Lake, Dedicated Protected Area (Ontario Parks)); Woodland Caribou Provincial Park is closed. This includes all access points off Suffel lake Road, Pineridge Road and Iriam Road. Including all modes of travel/access from the Manitoba-Ontario boarder including the Little Grand Rapids dedicated protected planning area, Weeskayjahk Ohtahzhoganiing (Lake country, Dedicated Protected Area) and all Crown land as outlined in the hatched area identified on the Implementation order map.
For information on how to obtain a travel permit please call 807-727-1345.
To view a map of the implementation order area at ontario.ca/forestfire click here.
Restrictions due to forest fire activity in the Kenora District – Werner Lake Road
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Kenora District, is advising the public that due to extreme forest fire activity from the Kenora 51 fire, an Implementation Order is now in effect until further notice that restricts access and use of certain roads and Crown lands.
All travel, use and access to the following areas are prohibited unless authorized by a travel permit issued by the Kenora District Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.
This includes all travel and use of the Werner Lake Road from the Manitoba Border eastward to the end of the road.
All use or occupation of Crown lands, on or within 500 metres of the identified road, is prohibited.
For information on how to obtain a travel permit please call 807-468-2501.
To view a map of the implementation order area at ontario.ca/forestfire, click here.
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.
