DRYDEN, Ont. — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry reports that its "resources are strained" as the fire load in northwestern Ontario has grown to 111 active fires.
By Monday evening, 16 new fires had been discovered.
Most were less than one hectare in size.
The locations were spread among virtually all the MNRF districts in the Northwest Region.
Thunder Bay fire # 35 is located near Kopka Lake, about 40 kilometres south of Armstrong.
The two-hectare blaze is listed as "not under control."
Of the 111 current fires in the region, 28 are not under control, 10 are being held, 10 are under control and 63 are being observed.
In its daily fire bulletin, the MNRF said burning conditions are on the rise, especially in the Kenora district where an extreme fire hazard blankets the district.
Moderate to high fire hazards prevail in the Thunder Bay and Nipigon districts.
The hazard ranges from high to extreme in the Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Dryden and Fort Frances districts.
MNRF spokesperson Chris Marchand said Tuesday that the ministry was withdrawing some firefighting crews from larger fires where suppression efforts have been successful, in order to make them available for initial attack on new starts.
Out of 61 four-member Type One (the most highly trained) fire ranger crews, 33 are currently committed to active fires, 13 are on standby for initial attack, and 15 are on rest breaks.
"We are very short on Type One crews right now," Marchand said.
Thirty-five Type One crews from the northwest, plus 40 overhead staff, remain deployed on fire duty in northeastern Ontario.
Marchand said the MNRF also has access to 22 Type Two crews which are primarily used for sustained attack and mop-up duties.
