Lightning continues to ignite fires in Ontario

NEWS RELEASE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES ***************************** Nine new fires were reported in Ontario yesterday.

NEWS RELEASE

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

***************************** Nine new fires were reported in Ontario yesterday.

There are also 110 fires active but lower temperatures and precipitation over much of northwestern Ontario are assisting suppression efforts.

Total hectares affected this fire season amounts to 568,960 representing the third largest area affected in the last 50 years.

Crews are continuing to make progress on a number of major fires in the Northwest Region as cool and damp weather helps reduce fire behaviour.

Precipitation is moving in from the west and most of the east will receive rainfall Tuesday, August 9.

Some areas of the Northwest Region will experience strong gusting winds.

While damp conditions will persist for most of this week, the long term weather forecast calls for the eventual return of dry conditions and above-average temperatures.

Significant lighting has occurred during the past week which could lead to additional new holdover fires over the next three to six days.

Ontario continues to receive assistance in the form of personnel and equipment from 10 other Canadian provinces and territories as well as the United States.

Staff rotation is now underway; 100 new fire rangers from British Columbia will be arriving Friday while 200 out of province staff will be released by the end of Saturday.

Approximately 2,000 fire fighters remain on Ontario fires, primarily in the Northwest Region with 557 of them from other jurisdictions.

Three new fires were reported on Monday, August 8.

- Cochrane 23 - lightning caused - out - 0.1 hectares - north of Moosenee

- Algonquin Park 5 - human caused - out - 0.1 hectares - along Highway 6 in Algonquin Provincial Park

- Timmins 24 - lightning caused - out - 0.1 hectares - east of Tionaga

Two new fires were reported by the evening of August 9.

- Hearst 9 - lightning caused - being held - 0.5 hectares - near Saganash Lake

- Hearst 10 - lightning caused - under control - 0.1 hectares - south of Kapuskasing

Active fires

There are an additional eight active fires in the region.

All the fires are in Cochrane district, lightning caused, and are being observed around the border of James Bay.

- Cochrane 6 - 500.0 hectares