28 Active Fires Across Region as Red Lake 12, Nipigon 5, and Sioux Lookout 18 Remain Fires of Concern

THUNDER BAY – WILDFIRE REPORT – The Northwest Fire Region continues to experience active fire activity, with six new wildland fires confirmed by the early evening of June 18, 2025, according to Fire Information Officer Alison Bezubiak with Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services.

Additionally, two fires confirmed late on June 17 have since been extinguished, bringing the total number of active fires in the region to 28, with varied statuses across fire zones.

🔥 New Fire Activity

June 17 – Fires Called Out:

• Red Lake 24 (RED024): East of Nungesser Road near Stormer Lake; extinguished at 0.1 ha

• Red Lake 25 (RED025): West of Wakeman Lake; extinguished at 0.1 ha

June 18 – New Confirmed Fires:

• Red Lake 26 (RED026): Near Taillon Lake; 0.1 ha, now out

• Red Lake 27 (RED027): Southeast of Pepall Lake; 0.1 ha, under control

• Red Lake 28 (RED028): Near Pedlar Lake; 0.4 ha, not under control

• Kenora 40 (KEN040): Island in Lake of the Woods; 0.1 ha, not under control

• Kenora 41 (KEN041): Near Highway 671; 0.1 ha, being held

• Kenora 42 (KEN042): West of Highway 105 near Twilight Lake; 0.7 ha, not under control

🚨 Current Fire Status Overview

As of this update:

• 7 fires are not under control

• 3 are being held

• 7 are under control

• 11 are being observed

• 5 fires have been called out in the past 24 hours

🔥 Fires of Note

Red Lake 12 (RED012) – Deer Lake & Sandy Lake First Nations

• Size: 177,087 hectares, not under control

• No growth toward nearby communities today

• FireRangers and helicopters continue suppression on the southeast perimeter

• Hose line expansion continues in the northern division near Sandy Lake

Nipigon 5 (NIP005) – Webequie First Nation

• Size: 10,816 hectares, not under control

• Focus on heat detection and suppression on northeast/southeast arms

• Helicopter bucketing continues

Sioux Lookout 18 (SLK018) – Cat Lake First Nation

• Size: 23,816 hectares, not under control

• Hose line work ongoing on the southwest side near Cat Lake

• Scattered precipitation observed

• Consistent aerial suppression with helicopters and waterbombers

• An Ontario Incident Management Team has now arrived to take command

🔥 Fire Hazard Levels

The wildland fire hazard across the Northwest Region ranges from low to high, with scattered areas of extreme hazard observed particularly in the southern sectors.

🚫 Reminder: No Drone Zone

Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous and illegal. Drones interfere with aircraft operations and put firefighting personnel at serious risk. Always stay clear of fire zones and follow local airspace restrictions.

📞 Report a Wildland Fire

• North of the French and Mattawa rivers: Call 310-FIRE

• South of those rivers: Call 9-1-1

🌐 Stay Connected

For updates, prevention tips, and real-time fire data, follow:

• @ONforestfires and @ONfeudeforet on Facebook, Instagram, and X

• Visit the official Ontario wildfire dashboard: ontario.ca/fireupdates