Current Ontario fires climb to 137, includes 2 in Sault area

NEWS RELEASE

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

***************************** Things are heating up again in Northwestern Ontario from the minimal precipitation and high winds on some large fires of concern.  

While some of the variable weather has helped reduce smoke in affected communities in the far north, there has not been enough rain to remove the underlying fire hazard.

There were 22 new fire starts yesterday with 137 fires currently burning in Ontario.  

With a forecast for good burning conditions, the large fires in Northwestern Ontario are expected to grow and challenge boundaries.  

The fire situation is far from over in Ontario and Aviation and Forest Fire Management continues to utilize over 2,000 personnel in today’s fire fighting effort.  

There is still a lot of hard work and long days ahead to put the fires out.

Thirteen new fires were reported on August 1 in North Bay (4), Sault Ste. Marie (2), Sudbury (4), Timmins (1) and Wawa (2) districts.

- North Bay 37 – undetermined cause – being held – 0.1 hectares – east of Monetville

- North Bay 38 – lightning caused – being held – 0.8 hectares – northwest of Silver Lake

- North Bay 39 – lightning caused – under control – 0.1 hectares – east of Silver Lake

- North Bay 40 – lightning caused – being held – 0.7 hectares – west of Lake Temagami

- Sault Ste. Marie 16 – human caused – out – 0.1 hectares – 30 kilometres north of Thessalon

- Sault Ste. Marie 17 - lightning caused - not under control - 1.0 hectare - north of Mississagi Provincial Park

- Sudbury 55 – human caused – out – 0.1 hectares – south of Val Caron

- Sudbury 56 – human caused – out – 0.1 hectares – south of Bailey Corners

- Sudbury 57 – undetermined cause – being held – 0.3 hectares – in La Cloche Provincial Park

- Sudbury 58 - lightning caused - out - 0.1 hectares - north of Maskinonge Lake

- Kirkland Lake 11 – lightning caused – under control – 1.0 hectare – 10 kilometres southwest of Swastika

- Wawa 22 – lightning caused – out – 0.2 hectares – one kilometre south of Highway 17 on Cache Lake

- Wawa 23 – human caused – out – 0.1 hectares – in White Lake Provincial Park

One new fire was reported by the evening of August 2.

North Bay 41 - human caused - not under control - 0.3 hectares - east of Sturgeon River Provincial Park

Active fires

There are an additional eight active fires in the region.

- 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 - 50.0 hectares - west of Attawapiskat

- 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 7 - lightning caused - being held - 0.8 hectares - near Missinaibi Provincial Park

- Hearst 8 - lightning caused - being held - 0.4 hectares - northeast of Missinaibi Provincial Park

- Sudbury 48 - human caused - under control - 8.0 hectares - north of Walden

The fire hazard is moderate in the northern half of the region and rises to high in the southern half with pockets in the far south increasing to an extreme hazard.

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