THUNDER BAY -- You might say the 2017 forest fire season in Northwestern Ontario is flickering rather than raging so far.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry reports there have been 23 bush fires in the region since the fire season started on April 1.
That is well below the 10-year average of 110 fires at this point in the year.
The total area consumed by fire, not surprisingly, is also well below average.
Over the past decade, nearly 8300 hectares have been burned at this stage of the season,
The corresponding figure this year is just 25 hectares.
MNRF fire information officer Jonathan Scott says cool, wet weather conditions are the main reason for the slower start.
But he cautions that spring remains a potentially dangerous period for fire activity because fires at this time of year usually occur in very fine fuels, and the flames can spread quickly.
Scott also pointed out that most of the fires in Northwestern Ontario so far this year have been the direct result of human activity.
Only one of the fires was attributed to lightning.
Investigations into a number of the human-caused fires are still underway.
