Outdoor fires will be banned in Thunder Bay as the province expands a restricted fire zone already in place further west.
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry issued updated boundaries for the restricted fire zone Friday, citing high to extreme forest fire hazard throughout Northwestern Ontario.
The Kenora, Fort Frances, and Dryden had already been included in the restricted zone, along with parts of the Sioux Lookout and Red Lake districts.
As of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, the Thunder Bay District and portions of the Nipigon and Wawa Districts will also be included, until further notice.
All outdoor burning, including campfires and outdoor fire places, are prohibited within the zone. More information on the restrictions is available online.
Portable gas stoves may still be used but must be handled with extreme care, the ministry said.
All outdoor burning permits are suspended during the provincial fire ban, noted Thunder Bay Fire Rescue.
A map showing the restricted area is also available through the ministry’s interactive fire map.
There were 71 active forest fires across the Northwest as of Thursday evening.
