DRYDEN, Ont. – Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is warning of areas of high fire hazard in the Northwest, with three forest fires burning in the region on Sunday.
The MNRF said a drying trend was leading to areas of high fire hazard in its Kenora and Fort Frances sectors, with hazard moderate throughout most of the Dryden, Red Lake, and Sioux Lookout sectors.
Further east, areas like Thunder Bay and Nipigon saw mainly low fire hazard.
The largest fire reported in Northwestern Ontario, known as Red Lake 2, is located about 36 kilometres north of the town of Red Lake, near Little Vermilion Lake.
It had grown to 6.1 hectares and was listed as under control by the MNRF Sunday. The fire received air tanker suppression on Friday.
Another fire, Red Lake 1, is burning near Sandy Lake First Nation, about 600 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay. It had grown to 3.5 hectares and was listed as under control on Sunday.
A new forest fire, Kenora 16, was reported Saturday and is burning near the community of Whitedog, about 100 kilometres northwest of Kenora.
It was listed as being held as of Sunday, at a size of 1.5 hectares.
The MNRF reminded residents to follow provincial burning regulations, including igniting fires no sooner than two hours before sunset and extinguishing them no later than two hours after sunrise.
Residents can get up-to-date information on local fire hazard at the MNRF’s website.
