Evacuation ordered

Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation is evacuating toddlers and their parents, elders and people who experience difficulty breathing because of smoke from a nearby forest fire.

As of Tuesday evening, the fire was 16-to-18 kilometres east of the community; the evacuation was caused by a smoke alert from the fire which was affected by strong winds.

About 80 Mishkeegogamang residents arrived in Sioux Lookout just after 2 a.m. Wednesday and about 200 are expected to arrive in the town throughout the day.

Sioux Lookout mayor Dennis Leney declared a state of emergency Wednesday morning and the evacuees will stay in the town’s recreation centre.

The fire is burning over more than 21,000 hectares of land between Albany and Wabakimi Provincial Parks near Highway 559, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources website.

The MNR has listed the fire as not under control.