Sunday update on Wawa Fire #18

FOREST FIRE UPDATE

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

************************* Update - Wawa Fire #18

WAWA, ON – (May 30) – Wawa Fire #18 is located approximatey 30 kilometres east of the Town of Hawk Junction and eight kilometres east of the Potholes Conservation Reserve.

There are no evacuation orders planned at this time. The fire was reported Thursday, May 27, and has grown to an estimated 2300 hectares approximately 40 kilometres east of Wawa near the junction of Highway 101 and 651 (to Missanabie).

Shoals Provincial Park is closed at this time.

Highway 101 is open and Ontario Provincial Police are on site to monitor the situation.

There are five Type 1 crews on the fire, four from Red Lake of the West Fire Region and one from Chapleau have been assigned to the fire.

Five helicopters have been assigned to the fire with air tanker support continuing.

Three Type 2 crews have been assigned to the fire.

Heavy equipment is being used.

A Type-1 incident management team has been assigned to this fire and plans are for setting up a base camp at the Weyerhaeuser Mill location on Highway 101 by Monday night.

MNR’s priority is to suppress the fire, maintain safety procedures and enable Hydro One power line crews and equipment access for Sunday morning to repair the damaged transmission lines and restore power to the town of Chapleau.

MNR is providing fire engine support and emergency medical support to Hydro One for their efforts if required.

Weather is predicted as mainly sunny on Sunday with temperatures at 25 Celsius. Winds are expected light to moderate.

The fire hazard is currently high to extreme in the East Fire Region.

An emergency area order has been implemented due to an active forest fire burning in the Wawa District.

The order is in effect as of 8 a.m. Saturday, May 29 and will remain in effect until such time as conditions improve.

An emergency area order is used when a forest fire situation warrants the use of special measures to ensure public safety, help with an evacuation and to ensure effective forest fire management.

Effective 10 a.m. May 29, under the emergency area order, the MNR has closed off all travel and use of the following roads for the purposes of public safety and/or effectual fire suppression: Crossover Road within the EAO area; Much Lake Road within the EAO area; Ripple Lake Road; Shakashi Road; Bluff Lake Road; Jackpine River Road; and Jackpine Road.

A restricted fire zone continues to be in effect in northeastern Ontario.

Residents and travellers through the region are reminded that all burning permits are suspended and all open air burning, including campfires, is prohibited.

Conservation officers are patrolling recreation areas and will be strictly enforcing the restricted fire zone.

To report a forest fire, please call 310-FIRE (3473). For more information on Wawa fire #18, contact the Wawa District office at 1-705-856-2396

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