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Human-caused 3 hectare fire in SooToday country (update)

NEWS RELEASE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES Aviation, Forest Fire & Emergency Services ************************* New Fires FireRanger crews and detection aircraft were kept busy responding to numerous fires and investigating incidents in the North

NEWS RELEASE

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
 
Aviation, Forest Fire & Emergency Services

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New Fires

FireRanger crews and detection aircraft were kept busy responding to numerous fires and investigating incidents in the Northeast Region. 

In total, six new fires were confirmed within the region on Saturday.

Of the new fires, Parry Sound 12, North Bay 4 and Kirkland Lake 6 were all 0.1 hectares in size and have since been called out.

Cochrane 17 is a 5.0 hectare blaze.

Sault Ste. Marie 6 is a 3.0 hectare fire located on an island.

Both of these fires are listed as Being Held and there are no problems anticipated.

Cochrane 18 is 0.1 hectares and is listed as Under Control.

Two of the new fires were caused by lightning and three from human-causes. A cause has yet to be determined for Kirkland Lake 6.

One possible fire was being investigated in the Sudbury district. Scattered rain, cloud and high humidity helped limit fire activity in the region on Sunday.

Active Fires

There are presently 14 active fires in the region: eight (8) in Cochrane district; two (2) in Wawa; two (2) in Heart district; one (1) in Chapleau district; and, one (1) in Sault Ste. Marie district.

All of the active fires are either Being Held, Under Control or are Being Observed at this time.

Fire Hazard

The fire hazard is moderate to high throughout most of the region. 

Residents are reminded to be cautious with all outdoor fires and to comply with all local burning restrictions.

Smoke

Several large wildfires are still burning in northern Quebec.

Depending on wind and weather patterns, smoke from fires in Quebec may enter northeastern Ontario.

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Earlier release:
 
Smoke

The ministry continues to receive calls from the public about the smell of smoke in northeastern Ontario.

Smoke continues to drift into the province from large fires burning in northern Quebec.

Until such time there is a significant change in wind direction or weather pattern, smoke will continue to drift.

If, however, you see a large column of dark-coloured smoke and/or open flame, please call 310-FIRE (3473) north of the French and Mattawa Rivers. 

New Fires

Three more fires had been officially confirmed in the region.

Sault Ste. Marie 6 is a 1.5 hectare human caused fire located on an island.

Cochrane 17 is a 5 hectare lightning caused fire that was first reported on Friday. 

North Bay 4 is 0.1 hectare fire also located on an island. 

Several other potential incidents were also being investigated as of 4:00 p.m. on July 6.

No control problems with any of the new starts or existing fires are anticipated.

Friday July 5 was a light day for fire activity in the Northeast Region.

Three new fires were confirmed.

Sudbury 18 was a 0.1 hectare human-caused fire that has now been extinguished.

Wawa 14 is a 0.5 hectare lightning fire that is now being held.

Cochrane 16 is a 20 hectare blaze that was lightning-caused and is being kept under observation.  

Fire Hazard

The fire hazard is high throughout most of the region.

With the weekend underway, there could be an increase in human-caused fires.

Residents are reminded to be cautious with all outdoor fires and to comply with all local burning restrictions.

Be FireSmart!

Did you know?  About 200,000 hectares of forest are burned each year and forest fires can cost millions of dollars to put out.  Often, unattended campfires are the cause.

If you're going camping and plan to have a campfire, please ensure you build a safe campfire. Keep your campfire small, have water nearby and never leave it unattended.  Once you are finished, make sure your campfire is completely extinguished.

Under the Forest Fires Prevention Act (FFPA), if you start a wildfire, you could be held liable for the costs of suppressing the fire.

For tips on how to Be FireSmart and ensure your campfire is safe, visit www.ontario.ca/fireprevention.

For more information about the current fire situation, visit www.ontario.ca/forestfire.  

Report forest fires north of the French and Mattawa rivers by calling 310-FIRE (3473). 

In southern regions, forest fires can be reported by calling your local fire department.

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