THUNDER BAY - A forest fire discovered near East Arrow Lake and Whitefish Lake Tuesday afternoon is expected to be contained by the end of the day.
Known as Thunder Bay Fire 38 and located approximately six kilometres east of East Arrow Lake and five kilometres south of Whitefish Lake, the fire was discovered on Tuesday afternoon just after 2:30 p.m. and is currently 1.1 hectares in size.
According to Gary Harland, fire management supervisor with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, one crew has been working to contain the fire and a second crew will be sent out today to assist.
“It’s in good shape. It won’t go anywhere,” Harland said. “It’s technically not under control because they don’t have a hose lay all the way around it. Usually it’s a hose lay all the way around it and the edge of the fire beat back 100 feet and that hasn’t happened yet. The fire isn’t expected to grow and we expect containment by the end of the day today.”
The fire was attacked Tuesday evening by water bombers that could be seen filling up at East Arrow Lake. Harland said an aerial attack is not needed today.
The second ground crew is being sent in to assist because a small section of the fire is located on a steep cliff and there is thick brush and a long hose lay.
The cause of the fire is listed as lightning and Harland said even if there were no strikes in the area that day, a fire can still be started from a storm that passed over weeks ago.
“Lightning can strike anywhere within the last three weeks and start a fire before we detect it,” he said. “There has been tons of lightning.”
With thunderstorms rolling through the region Tuesday evening, Harland said it is too early to determine the extent of any new starts.
“Most lightning fires will pop up after you’ve had a good drying day and some sun on it,” he said. “They will smolder and stay so small that the smoke doesn’t come above the trees to pick it up. After a few sunny days and lower humidity’s, that’s when you get enough fire on the ground and smoke above the trees that the aircraft will pick it up.”
