Northeast Region Fire Situation Update

Written by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources on 25 July 2011

MNR helicopter drops water on fire. OntarioNewsNorth.com

July 24, 2011 – 15:30 (3:30pm)

PROVINCIAL OVERVIEW

There are over 118 active fires currently burning in the province. We expect fire growth to continue on unsecured areas of fires. Winds will be southerly today in the northwest and smoke issues should be reduced throughout the region. Fire teams continue to work closely with affected communities. There remain over 2,000 fire personnel engaged in fire suppression and 644 from out of province. Starting next week FireRangers from out of the province will reach the end of their deployment and will be rotated out with fresh crews coming back into the province. MNR FireRangers are also being rotated out for time off. Fire teams continue to work closely with affected communities. All planned evacuations are completed and no further evacuations are forecasted. A total of 3,591 people were evacuated from nine First Nations communities. The MNR, Emergency Management Ontario, affected communities and other partner agencies will continue to plan and prepare for further evacuations if needed as well as returning evacuees home when conditions are safe. A Restricted Fire Zone continues to be implemented on the north western regions of the province. More information on Restricted Fire Zones is available at Current Restricted Fire Zones in Ontario.

NEW FIRES

Six fires were reported on Saturday, July 23 in Chapleau (1), North Bay (2), Pembroke (1), and Sudbury (2) districts.

Chapleau 8 – lightning caused – out – 0.1 hectares – north of Wenebegon Provincial Park
North Bay 28 – lightning caused – under control – 0.5 hectares – southwest of Temagami
North Bay 29 – lightning caused – out – 0.2 hectares – west of Gull Lake
Algonquin Park 2 – lightning caused – under control – 0.1 hectares – southern portion of Algonquin Park, east of Stanhope. **The Twin Otter was dispatched due to difficult access
Sudbury 40 – undetermined cause – out – 0.1 hectares – east of Estaire
Sudbury 41 – lightning caused fire – out – 0.1 hectares – northwest of Rayside-Balfour

No new fires were reported by the evening of July 24.

ACTIVE FIRES

Bancroft 3 – lightning caused – under control – 1.0 hectare – west of Bon Echo Provincial Park
Cochrane 6 – lightning caused – being observed – 500.0 hectares – 63 kilometers southwest of Kashechewan
Cochrane 13 – lightning caused – being observed – 600.0 hectares – 30 kilometres southeast of Peawanuck
Cochrane 15 – lightning caused – being observed – 7.0 hectares – west of Attawapiskat
Cochrane 16 – lightning caused – being observed – 30.0 hectares – west of Fort Albany
Cochrane 17 – lightning caused – being observed – 120.0 hectares – 43 kilometers southwest of Fort Albany
Cochrane 18 – lightning caused – being observed – 8.0 hectares – 44 kilometers south of Fort Albany
Hearst 6 – lightning caused – being held – 9.0 hectares – 45 kilometres north of Kapuskasing
Parry Sound 8 – undetermined cause – under control – 1.6 hectares – west of Restoule
Sudbury 39 – lightning caused – under control – 1.2 hectares – French River Provincial Park

SPECIAL CONCERNS

Smoke from fires burning in the Northwest Region may still be affecting some communities in the Northeast Region depending on wind speed and direction.

FIRE HAZARD

The fire hazard varies throughout the entire region. The far north will have a low fire hazard, rising to moderate in the middle section of the region. The far south will see a fire hazard of high to extreme. Tomorrow will be mainly cloudy with shower activity which will reduce the fire hazard. Areas in the southern Northeast Region will continue to see new lightning and human caused fires for the next several days.

Forest Fire Danger Map for Ontario

Information on this map is the latest available (July 25th) from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services.

SAFETY MESSAGE

Planning on enjoying a campfire this weekend? Keep your fire small, build it on bare rock or dirt, never leave it unattended and make sure it is completely extinguished before leaving the site. Drown! Stir! Drown! Also, remember to be careful with smoking materials in forested areas while hiking or picking berries.

If you live within a municipality, contact your local municipal office or fire department BEFORE burning. For public inquiries on the forest fire situation in Ontario, please call 1-800-667-1940.