Several new fire starts in northwestern Ontario

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services is reporting nine new forest fires have flared up over the last twenty-four hours.

All were small in size.

A fire near Little Vermilion Lake, about 40 kilometres north of Red Lake, was last listed as not under control.

A two-hectare fire in a remote area of Gravel River Provincial Park, about 80 kilometres southwest of Geraldton, saw aerial suppression with water bombers Saturday afternoon.

Another fire is near Kilbarry Lake at the northeastern boundary of Wabakimi Provincial Park, approximately 80 kilometres southwest of Eabametoong (Fort Hope) First Nation. It was still listed as not under control Saturday night.

A blaze sixteen kilometres east of Pikangikum First Nation is being held.

Two northeast of Poplar Hill remains active. One, about 24 kilometres from the community, has scorched about 3.5 hectares.

There is one fire within Quetico Provincial Park near Trousers Lake. It remains not under control.

A fire north of Muskeg Lake, about 50 kilometres north of Shabaqua Corners, is also still burning.

There are now fifteen active fires, ten listed as not under control, two listed as under control and two being held.

One fire is being monitored.

The largest active fire is north of Cat Lake.

Officials say twelve fire crews and three helicopters have been assigned to the fire.

It is burning away from the community, with crews establishing hose lines along the perimeter of the fire closest to the community as helicopters drop buckets of water.

The fire hazard is mainly moderate to high across the northwest Region with isolated areas of low and extreme hazard.

A Restricted Fire Zone remains in place in the Districts of Kenora, Red Lake/Sioux Lookout, Dryden/Fort Frances/Atikokan, Thunder Bay/Ignace, the northwest portion of the Far North, and portions of Nipigon/Geraldton District.

Any open-air burning, including campfires and fire pits, is not permitted within the boundaries of a Restricted Fire Zone.

Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth but must be handled with extreme caution.