Northwestern Ontario is currently facing the challenge of 87 active wildfires, as reported by Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) on Friday night.
Among these wildfires, 10 are not contained, six are being managed, eight are under control, and the rest are under observation.
As of Friday evening, two new fires have emerged in the northwest region:
- Nipigon 99 (NIP099) is situated east of Pays Plat, around 3 kilometers northeast of Highway 17 and 5.5 kilometers north of Rossport. This fire covers 0.1 hectares and is not yet under control.
- Nipigon 100 (NIP100) is located approximately 10.5 kilometers north of Highway 17 in Pays Plat and 2 kilometers northeast of West Fox Lake. This fire also spans 0.1 hectares and is not under control.
Although most of northwestern Ontario has a low to moderate forest fire hazard, some areas in the southwestern part, including Thunder Bay and Kenora districts, are experiencing significant high-hazard conditions.
Highlighted Fires in the Region
- The Rinker Complex: Comprising Thunder Bay 36, Dryden 34, and Dryden 35, this remains one of the largest firefighting operations in the region. Thunder Bay 36 covers 301,240 hectares, while Dryden 34 and Dryden 35 cover 45,800 and 30,201 hectares, respectively. All three fires are still uncontrolled, with evacuation orders in place. Though fire activity remains low, recent weather conditions have led to some increased fire behavior.
- Atikokan Cluster: Consisting of Fort Frances 13, 14, and 15, with sizes ranging from 25,279 to 51,768 hectares, these fires are currently being managed or not under control. Smoke levels increased on Friday due to sunny weather and low humidity, coupled with haze from fires in Canada’s Pacific coast and the United States.
Approximately 829 People Displaced
As of Friday, about 829 individuals remain displaced due to wildfires in Ontario, according to the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
Over 2,000 evacuees from northwestern Ontario have been able to return home.
Jill Dunlop, Ontario’s minister of emergency preparedness and response, mentioned that the ministry has conducted over 110 coordination calls with various stakeholders, including First Nation chiefs, community leaders, and government entities.
Evacuation and Implementation Orders
Two new evacuation alerts are in effect for Fort Frances 39 and the “Thumb Fire” in Minnesota.
The Dryden Fort Frances Atikokan District issued an evacuation alert due to the evolving situation and escalated fire behavior of Wildland Fire Fort Frances 39 and Minnesota’s ‘Thumb Fire,’ urging people in the area to prepare for possible evacuation.
Evacuation orders or alerts remain active for various fire-affected areas, including Thunder Bay 36 & 56 and Dryden 34 & 35.