Current Fire Scenario in Northwest District

THUNDER BAY – Wildland Fire Report – As of this update, the Northwest Region houses a total of 36 active fires. Among these, 1 fire remains uncontained, 2 are being held, and 7 fires are effectively under control, with an additional 26 fires under observation.

New Incident Recorded

During the late afternoon of August 20, a new fire incident was confirmed within the Northwest Region:

Red Lake 74 is situated approximately 4.9 kilometres east of Nungesser Road, near the northwest perimeter of Trout Lake. The fire spans an area of 0.5 hectares and is currently not under control.

Evaluating Fire Hazard

Across the Northwest Region, the prevailing wildland fire hazard is rated as moderate to high. A distinct high hazard band extends across the central region of the area. In contrast, the southeastern and northern sectors exhibit a moderate hazard level.

Smoke Impact and Forecast

Certain sections of the Northwest Region may experience the influence of smoke drift originating from Western Canada. To stay informed about smoke forecasts, interested individuals can access real-time and projected smoke conditions at FireSmoke.ca. Any individual with apprehensions regarding health implications related to smoke exposure can seek guidance by reaching out to Telehealth Ontario at 811.

Promoting Safety: Waterbombers and Drones

Ensuring the safety of firefighting operations, especially involving waterbombers, requires maintaining a safe distance. When waterbombers approach water bodies, positioning close to the shoreline facilitates safe water scooping operations. To prevent potential hazards, waterbombers abstain from utilizing lakes or rivers as water sources if nearby watercraft pose a risk.

Flying drones in the vicinity of forest fires is both a perilous and unlawful act. Operating drones near fire zones endangers pilots, firefighters, and other emergency personnel, while also breaching legal regulations.

Immediate Reporting of Wildland Fires

To promptly report wildland fires located north of the French and Mattawa rivers, dial 310-FIRE. To report forest fires situated south of these rivers, dial 911.