Northwestern Ontario Wildfire Update: 110 Active Fires as Major Complexes Remain Out of Control
Two new wildland fires were confirmed in Northwestern Ontario by Friday evening as provincial fire officials continued large-scale suppression operations on some of the biggest fires burning across the region.
As of 6 p.m. CDT on Aug. 7, Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services reported 110 active wildland fires in the Northwest Region, including 15 fires not under control.
The continuing fire activity remains particularly important for residents across Northwestern Ontario and northern First Nations, where evacuations, air travel restrictions, highway access, smoke and emergency supply routes can all be affected by changing fire conditions.
Two New Fires Confirmed in Northwestern Ontario
Two new fires were confirmed by the evening of Aug. 7.
Fort Frances 62 (FOR062) is located southeast of Thompson Lake, approximately six kilometres northwest of Lac la Croix. The fire is 0.1 hectares and is being held.
Sioux Lookout 114 (SLK114) was discovered near Highway 599, approximately one kilometre west of Grebe Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire has since been declared out.
Of the 110 active fires across the Northwest Region:
- 15 are not under control;
- eight are being held;
- three are under control; and
- 84 are being observed.
Rinker Lake Complex Remains a Major Firefighting Operation
The Rinker Lake Complex continues to be one of the most significant wildfire operations in Northwestern Ontario.
The complex includes:
- Thunder Bay 36 (THU036);
- Dryden 34 (DRY034); and
- Dryden 35 (DRY035).
A total of 22 wildland firefighting crews from Ontario, Alberta and Nova Scotia are assigned to the complex, along with two 20-person firefighting crews from Mexico.
Heavy-equipment operators, pilots and overhead personnel from Ontario and Quebec are also supporting the response, along with an incident management team.
Seventeen helicopters are currently assigned to the Rinker Lake Complex.
Fire crews are patrolling and extinguishing hot spots, consolidating hose lines, maintaining protection equipment around threatened values and building helipads to improve access and move personnel and equipment deeper into the fire area.
Heavy-equipment operators continue to build fire guards along portions of the THU036 and DRY035 perimeters. Additional heavy equipment has been moved into operations on DRY035.
Helicopter bucketing operations are continuing where required.
The fires remain extremely large:
Thunder Bay 36: 301,240 hectares — not under control.
Dryden 34: 45,800 hectares — not under control.
Dryden 35: 31,510 hectares — not under control.
Together, the three fires cover more than 378,000 hectares.
For Northwestern Ontario residents, the size of the Rinker Lake Complex means suppression operations, evacuation planning and airspace restrictions could remain in place for an extended period even when cooler weather or rainfall temporarily reduces fire behaviour.
Rain Helps Moderate Atikokan Cluster
Localized rainfall overnight helped reduce fire activity across parts of the Atikokan Cluster.
More than 20 millimetres of rain was recorded at a weather station near the northwest side of Fort Frances 14.
Low fire behaviour was being observed Friday on all three major fires in the cluster.
Eleven helicopters remain assigned to the Atikokan fires.
At the north end of Fort Frances 14, where access to water is limited, FireRanger crews are patrolling the perimeter and using helicopter buckets to extinguish hot spots. Crews are working approximately 30 metres — or 100 feet — inward from the fire perimeter.
Crews are also patrolling the north and northeast sides of Fort Frances 15, using helicopter bucketing support in difficult terrain.
A wildland firefighting engine equipped with a 4,000-litre water tank is now operating in the Cushing Lake area.
Current fire sizes are:
Fort Frances 13: 25,279 hectares — not under control.
Fort Frances 14: 51,768 hectares — not under control.
Fort Frances 15: 42,273 hectares — not under control.
While rain can temporarily reduce fire behaviour, it does not necessarily extinguish deep-burning hot spots. Crews will continue working the fire perimeters and monitoring weather conditions.
Evacuation Orders and Alerts Remain in Effect
Evacuation orders and alerts remain connected to several major fires across the Northwest Region.
Provincial fire officials list evacuation measures involving:
- Dryden 36;
- Thunder Bay 36, 54 and 56;
- Dryden 34 and 35;
- Fort Frances 14; and
- Fort Frances 15 and 38.
Residents of affected communities should continue relying on instructions from their First Nation leadership, municipality, emergency officials or provincial authorities.
Conditions can change quickly, particularly where roads or air transportation are the primary routes into and out of remote communities.
Airspace Restrictions Around Thunder Bay 36
A Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, remains in place around Thunder Bay 36.
The restriction is in addition to the normal Canadian Aviation Regulations governing airspace around active forest fires.
Under section 601.15 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, unauthorized aircraft are prohibited from flying within five nautical miles of an active forest fire and below 3,000 feet above ground level.
The restrictions are intended to protect firefighting aircraft, including helicopters and waterbombers operating at low altitude and often in reduced visibility.
Pilots should consult NAV CANADA’s Collaborative Flight Planning Services for current NOTAM information before flying in affected areas.
NOTAM Also in Effect Near Fort Frances 14
A separate NOTAM remains in place around Fort Frances 14, northeast of Byers Lake.
The same federal restrictions surrounding active wildland fires apply.
The airspace issue is particularly important across Northwestern Ontario, where floatplanes, charter aircraft and private aviation provide essential transportation links for remote communities, tourism operations and resource-sector activity.
Unauthorized aircraft or drones near an active wildfire can force firefighting aircraft to leave the area, delaying suppression work.
Restricted Fire Zone Remains in Effect
A Restricted Fire Zone remains in effect across the Northwest Region because of the continuing wildfire load and high-to-extreme fire hazard.
The restriction took effect July 15 at 12:01 a.m. local time and also includes a small portion of the Northeast Region.
The Ministry of Natural Resources says the restrictions are intended to reduce the number of human-caused wildfires while firefighting personnel and aircraft remain heavily committed to existing incidents.
Residents, campers and travellers should check current provincial restrictions before lighting any outdoor fire.
Why the Fire Situation Still Matters Across Northwestern Ontario
The Aug. 7 numbers show that the region remains in a prolonged wildfire emergency despite rainfall in some areas.
With 15 fires still listed as not under control and hundreds of thousands of hectares burning in major complexes, the pressure remains high on firefighting crews, aviation resources and emergency-management systems.
For First Nations and remote communities, wildfire response is also closely linked to evacuation capacity, reliable communications, access to health services and the availability of aircraft.
Thunder Bay frequently serves as a transportation, accommodation, health-care and emergency-support hub during major northern evacuations.
The continuing wildfire season therefore has consequences well beyond the immediate fire perimeter.
Reporting a Wildland Fire
To report a wildland fire north of the French and Mattawa rivers, call 310-FIRE (3473).
Fires south of the French or Mattawa rivers should be reported by calling 911.
Residents can monitor current fire locations, fire danger ratings, Restricted Fire Zones and evacuation information through Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, Northwest Fire Region update, Aug. 7, 2026.
