Northwest Region
August 12, 2018 – Time of Report 17:28
Report prepared by Jonathan Scott
THUNDER BAY – WILDFIRE UPDATE – There were seven new fires confirmed in the region by the late afternoon of August 12.
- Nipigon Fire Number 56 is not under control at 2.4 hectares and is located near Ficht Lake, approximately 94 kilometres north of Armstrong.
- Nipigon Fire Number 57 is not under control at 5 hectares and is located near Luella Lake, approximately 94 kilometres north of Armstrong.
- Fort Frances Fire Number 50 is being held at 0.2 hectares and is located near West Jackfish Lake, approximately 39 kilometres northwest of Fort Frances.
- Kenora Fire Number 110 is being held at 0.1 hectares and is located near Trout Lake, eight kilometres north of Wabaseemoong Independent Nation.
- Red Lake Fire Number 166 is being observed at 5 hectares and is located near McInnes Lake, approximately 135 kilometres north of Red Lake.
- Kenora Fire Number 111 is not under control at 0.4 hectares and is located near George Lake, approximately 21 kilometres northwest of Kenora.
- Thunder Bay Fire Number 51 is not under control at 1.0 hectare and is located near Elf Lake, approximately 47 kilometres northwest of Armstrong.
There are 78 active fires in the region, 72 of which are either under observation, being held or under control. Aerial reconnaissance will be flying to monitored fires in the far north to declare inactive fires out.
Smoke drift from western Canada and the United States will be visible in the Northwest Region today.
Fire hazard in the Northwest Region
The fire hazard is currently high to extreme throughout the Kenora, Fort Frances, Dryden and Sioux Lookout Districts. The Thunder Bay District is showing a high hazard. The north shore areas of the Nipigon District show a moderate hazard which becomes high hazard conditions in the far north.
Ontario Parks restricts access in Woodland Caribou Provincial Park
Several large fires in Woodland Caribou Park have necessitated some restrictions for backcountry travellers. Ontario Parks is restricting access to some canoe routes as well as access to a number of lakes. You can find more details here.
Stewardship Rangers visit Northwest Region Fire Management Headquarters
Ontario Stewardship Rangers from Dryden, Wabigoon Lake, and Eagle Lake took a tour of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Northwest Region Fire Management Headquarters, Aug. 1. The tour introduced the 16-17-year-olds in the annual summer work program to the diverse combination of skills in the OMNR’s fire program from water bomber pilots to computer networks and geographical information systems (GIS), to firefighting itself.
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)
- Twitter account
