There were two new fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the afternoon of August 26.
• Fort Frances District Fire Number 019 is located about 22 kilometres north northwest of Fort Frances on Rainy Lake. On August 26 it was listed as not under control at 0.1 hectares in size. It is a suspected shore lunch fire that was not put out.
• Thunder Bay Fire Number 033 is located on an island on Pashkokogan Lake about 91 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. On August 26 it was listed as not under control at 0.1 hectares in size.
The forest fire hazard is low in the southwest and central areas of the region but moderate with pockets of high hazard in the southeast and across the far north sectors.
To see a complete list of fires across the province click on our interactive map. You can also get the latest update on the condition of any fire by clicking the fire icon.
Hunting season has started and the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services program would like to remind hunters to watch for firefighting personnel and vehicles operating on the landscape as they respond to new or existing wildland fires.
Stay Clear of Waterbombers!
From April 1 to October 31, waterways are used by CL-415 water bombers to suppress wildfires. When CL-415 waterbombers approach a lake, people in watercraft are asked to move close to the shore so the waterbombers can perform their scoop.
This ensures safety for both the people and the aircraft. It also supports the firefighting effort because a waterbomber will not scoop from a lake if encroaching watercraft pose a safety hazard. This in turn causes a delay in waterbombing on the fire as they wait for the watercraft to clear the area, or have to seek a water source further from the fire to scoop safely.
Waterbombers often perform circuits when fighting a fire so more than one waterbomber could be scooping from the waterway in close intervals.
