112 wildfires remain active in Northwestern Ontario as major fires near Thunder Bay and Atikokan continue

THUNDER BAY – WILDFIRE UPDATE – Northwestern Ontario entered Aug. 10 with 112 active wildland fires after three new fires were confirmed Sunday, while hundreds of firefighters and support personnel continue working on some of the largest fires in the region.

According to Ontario’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services update issued at 6 p.m. CDT on Aug. 9, 12 fires were classified as not under control, seven were being held, six were under control and 87 were being observed.

The Rinker Lake Complex west and northwest of Thunder Bay remains a major focus of provincial and interprovincial firefighting resources, while the Atikokan-area fires continue to require significant personnel and helicopter support.

A Restricted Fire Zone also remains in effect across the Northwest Region because of high to extreme fire hazard, the number of active fires and concerns about additional human-caused fires.

Three New Wildfires Confirmed Aug. 9

Three new wildland fires were confirmed in the Northwest Region by Sunday evening.

Nipigon 97 (NIP097) is burning near Weitzel Lake, approximately three kilometres southwest of Parks Lake. The fire is approximately 0.1 hectares and is not under control.

Thunder Bay 78 (THU078) is located near Argon Lake, approximately 11 kilometres southwest of Highway 17. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.

Fort Frances 63 (FOR063) is located near Kendall Lake, approximately 1.5 kilometres west of Scotch Lake. The 0.2-hectare fire is also not under control.

While all three fires remain small, their locations are significant because Northwestern Ontario continues to experience a heavy wildfire workload. New starts can require aircraft and crews that are already supporting large, long-duration incidents elsewhere in the region.

Rinker Lake Complex Remains Major Firefighting Operation

The Rinker Lake Complex includes Thunder Bay 36, Dryden 34 and Dryden 35.

A total of 26 wildland firefighting crews from Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Manitoba are assigned to the complex.

Two 20-person crews of wildland firefighters from Mexico are also assisting.

The operation includes heavy equipment operators, pilots and overhead personnel from Ontario and Quebec, along with an Incident Management Team.

Fifteen helicopters are currently assigned to the complex.

Fire crews are patrolling and extinguishing hotspots, consolidating hoselines, installing and maintaining protection equipment around threatened values and constructing helipads to improve access and allow equipment to be moved deeper into the fire area.

Heavy equipment operators are continuing to build fire guards along portions of the Thunder Bay 36 and Dryden 35 perimeters.

Helicopter bucketing operations are being conducted where required.

Dryden 35 was scanned using infrared technology early Sunday morning. Thermal imaging can identify remaining pockets of heat that may not be visible from the ground, allowing crews to concentrate suppression work on active areas.

Current fire sizes reported by AFFES are:

• Thunder Bay 36 (THU036): 301,240 hectares — not under control
• Dryden 34 (DRY034): 45,800 hectares — not under control
• Dryden 35 (DRY035): 31,478 hectares — not under control

Combined, the three fires encompass approximately 378,518 hectares.

The scale of the complex has implications well beyond the immediate fire perimeter. Extended wildfire operations require significant aircraft, crews, fuel, equipment and logistical support, while smoke and transportation disruptions can affect communities and businesses across Northwestern Ontario.

Atikokan Cluster: 107 Firefighters Working on Fort Frances 14

Firefighters are also continuing suppression operations on the Atikokan Cluster, which includes Fort Frances 13, Fort Frances 14 and Fort Frances 15.

Eight helicopters are assigned to the cluster.

AFFES reported low fire behaviour on all three fires as of Sunday evening.

On the northern portion of Fort Frances 14, where water sources are limited, FireRanger crews are patrolling the perimeter and using helicopter buckets to attack hotspots. Crews are working approximately 100 feet inward from portions of the fire perimeter.

On Fort Frances 15, firefighters are patrolling the north and northeast sides of the fire for hotspots, supported by helicopter bucketing operations in difficult terrain.

A wildland firefighting engine equipped with a 4,000-litre water tank is working in the Cushing Lake area.

A total of 107 firefighters are assigned to various operations across two divisions of Fort Frances 14.

Current sizes are:

• Fort Frances 13 (FOR013): 25,279 hectares — not under control
• Fort Frances 14 (FOR014): 51,768 hectares — not under control
• Fort Frances 15 (FOR015): 42,273 hectares — not under control

Together, the three fires cover approximately 119,320 hectares.

Evacuation Orders and Alerts Remain in Effect

Evacuation orders and alerts continue to affect parts of Northwestern Ontario.

As of the Aug. 9 provincial update, notices included:

• An evacuation order associated with Dryden 36
• An evacuation order associated with Thunder Bay 36, Thunder Bay 54, Thunder Bay 56, Dryden 34 and Dryden 35
• An evacuation order associated with Fort Frances 14
• An expanded evacuation alert associated with Fort Frances 14
• An evacuation alert associated with Fort Frances 15 and Fort Frances 38

Residents in affected or nearby areas should continue monitoring official provincial, municipal and First Nation emergency information because evacuation boundaries and conditions can change quickly.

For remote and northern communities, wildfire evacuations can be especially complex because road access may be limited or unavailable and air transportation can become essential. Smoke, fire activity and aircraft availability can all affect evacuation planning.

Airspace Restrictions Over Thunder Bay 36 and Fort Frances 14

NOTAMs — Notices to Air Missions — remain in effect in the areas of Thunder Bay 36 and Fort Frances 14.

These restrictions are in addition to the standard Canadian Aviation Regulations governing airspace around active forest fires.

Under section 601.15 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, aircraft not involved in fire suppression are generally prohibited from operating within five nautical miles of an active forest fire and below 3,000 feet above ground level unless authorized.

The restrictions are critical for firefighter and aviation safety.

Unauthorized aircraft, including recreational aircraft, can interfere with helicopter and waterbomber operations and may force suppression aircraft to leave an area until the airspace is considered safe.

Pilots are advised to check current NOTAM information through NAV CANADA when planning flights.

Restricted Fire Zone Remains in Effect

The Ministry of Natural Resources implemented a Restricted Fire Zone across the Northwest Region, along with a small portion of the Northeast Region, effective July 15 at 12:01 a.m. local time.

The restriction was imposed because of high to extreme fire hazard, increased wildfire activity and the existing provincial firefighting workload.

Reducing preventable human-caused fires is particularly important during periods when crews and aircraft are already committed to large incidents.

People travelling, camping, fishing or working in Northwestern Ontario should confirm the rules applying to their location before using any outdoor fire.

Municipal fire restrictions may also apply separately from provincial restrictions.

What the Wildfire Situation Means for Northwestern Ontario

The 2026 fire season is placing sustained pressure on firefighting resources across the region.

For Thunder Bay, Dryden, Atikokan, Fort Frances and smaller communities throughout the Northwest, major wildfire complexes can have consequences far beyond the fire lines.

Smoke can affect air quality hundreds of kilometres from an active fire. Highway conditions may change because of smoke or emergency operations. Forestry, mining, tourism and remote-work operations can face interruptions when access roads or air routes are affected.

Wildfires can have an even greater impact on remote First Nations, where evacuation may require aircraft and residents can be displaced hundreds of kilometres from home.

The arrival of firefighting crews from other Canadian provinces, Quebec and Mexico also illustrates the scale of the response and the importance of mutual-aid arrangements during severe wildfire seasons.

Check Conditions Before Travelling

Anyone travelling through Northwestern Ontario should check current wildfire conditions, highway information, evacuation notices and local emergency alerts before departure.

Wildfire conditions can change rapidly because of wind, temperature, humidity and thunderstorms.

The provincial interactive fire map is updated throughout the day using data from more than 130 weather stations across Ontario’s fire regions.

How to Report a Wildland Fire

To report a wildland fire north of the French and Mattawa rivers, call 310-FIRE (3473).

South of the French or Mattawa rivers, call 911.

Ontario wildfire information and fire-prevention updates are available through Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services and the province’s Ontario Fire Updates service.

Source: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, Northwest Fire Region update, Aug. 9, 2026, 6 p.m. CDT.