131 forest fires so far this season

NEWS RELEASE

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Northeast Region

New Fires

One new fire was confirmed on August 1.

By the time of this report, one new fire was confirmed on August 2.

Fire Hazard

The southern and northern portions of the region are at a low to moderate hazard, while the central area of the region is seeing a low hazard. We can expect to see showers with a risk of thunderstorms in the north of the region, while the most southern portions of region will see heavy rain events locally.

Regional Synopsis

There are three fires currently active in Cochrane, two of which are being observed, the other a new start near Hudson Bay's coast, west of Partridge Island. This fire is currently not under control at 0.3 hectares (ha).

Yesterday, Sudbury 46 was confirmed on an island on Lake Panache at 0.1 ha. The fire is not under control. No problems are anticipated with the current fires burning in the region.

To date this season, 131 fires have been confirmed, burning a total of 4,079.5 ha of land.

Out of Province Deployment

There are now 450 personnel from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on assignment in Alberta (107), British Columbia (232) and the Northwest Territories (111) to assist in ongoing forest fire management efforts.

Rotation of resources is now occurring. Yesterday, 27 Fire Rangers and overhead staff were deployed to the Northwest Territories. Early this morning, 44 Fire Rangers and overhead staff returned home from the Northwest Territories, while 18 members came home from British Columbia.

Ontario has also provided equipment including 400 power pumps, 2,000 lengths of hose and two values protection units to British Columbia.

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.