22:50 EDT – Red Lake Under Evacuation – Full Story Click Here

RED LAKE – A forest fire in the area of Madsen, ON has caused a road closure on Highway 618 to East and West bound traffic. The fire causing the problem is Red Lake 49 that is located approximately two kilometres northeast of Madsen.

Updated – Latest Coverage – August 11, 2020 09:30 am EDT 

The five-hectare fire (not under control) was receiving aerial suppression from water bombers at the time of this update.

MNRF is on scene to fight the fire. Please contact MNRF for further details on the fire.

Detour: Not available

The estimated duration of Road Advisory: unknown – updates will be sent when the road re-opens.

There’s a bush fire by Madsen, ON. These pics are taken in Red Lake by friends. My sis-in-law told us they packed up & tried to evacuate but the fire shifted. Some were able to leave Madsen. I hope she & others stuck there stay safe! Come on water bombers, do your thing! pic.twitter.com/pTiBcuxCqC

— Tania Cameron (@TaniaCameron) August 10, 2020

August 10, 2020 Time of Report – 17:17

Northwest Region 

• Four new fires were confirmed in the Northwest Region by the late afternoon of Aug. 10.
  • Kenora 37 is located near Campfire Lake, approximately 70 kilometres west of Ear Falls, the fire is not under control at 0.1 hectares.
  • Nipigon 50 is located at the southern tip of Eabamet Lake, approximately 24 kilometres southeast of Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope), the fire is not under control at 0.5 hectares.
  • Sioux Lookout 50 is located near Awad Lake, approximately 105 kilometres northeast of Pickle Lake. The 3.0 hectare fire is being observed.
  • Red Lake 49 is located approximately two kilometres northeast of Madsen. The five hectare fire (not under control) was receiving aerial suppression from water bombers at the time of this update.

• Additional fires were discovered in the evening hours of Aug. 9:
  • Nipigon 49 is located near Wabimeig Lake, approximately 39 kilometres southeast of the remote community of Marten Falls. The 120 hectare fire is being observed.
  • Sioux Lookout 49 was located near Quirt Bay on eastern Lac Seul, approximately 46 kilometres north of Sioux Lookout. The 0.1 hectare fire has been declared out.

• At the time of this update there were 22 active fires in the region. Eight fires were not under control, two fires were being held, four fires were under control and eight fires were being observed. Three fires were called out today.
• The forest fire hazard is predominantly high to extreme across the region. Areas of low to moderate hazard are present in the Thunder Bay and north shore areas and along the Ontario/Minnesota border.
• To see the fire hazard near you, consult the interactive fire map at Ontario.ca/forestfire