DRYDEN, Ont. — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says "conditions are lining up" for forest fires to emerge from lightning strikes that occurred as far back as five days ago.
On Tuesday, 24 new fires that cropped up in northwestern Ontario were all attributed to recent lightning activity.
Most are in the MNRF's Sioux Lookout and Red Lake districts.
Chris Marchand, a spokesperson at the MNRF fire centre in Dryden, said Wednesday that dry forest fuels combined with lower relative humidity and consistent wind of 15 to 20 kilometres per hour "are setting up a busy few days ahead. We're expecting another 25 or more fire starts today."
There are currently 73 active fires across the northwest, including seven the ministry designates as not under control.
The fire hazard ranges from high to extreme, with a few small pockets of moderate hazard along the north shore of Lake Superior.
