THUNDER BAY, ON --- July 17, 2011 --- Ontario has already seen over twice the average amount of 
hectares burned annually in the province.
More than 2,000 Ontario firefighters and support crew workers are on the ground, and approximately 360 firefighters have been sent from British Columbia as support.
There is more than 40 aircraft involved in trying to douse the flames, including 14 waterbombers, some from Quebec and Alberta, and 13 initial attack helicopters.
There have been a total of 474 forest fires to date this season, according to the Ministry and more than 145,000 hectares of forest have burned to date.
Ontario has already seen over twice the average amount of hectares burned annually in the province.
Deb MacLean Information Officer, Northwest Regional Forest Fire Centre in Dryden said "Unfortunately, it's not looking like there's much relief," There is a little a small amount of rain forecasted for the southern portion of our region. It is north of Highway 11 - 17 where the major fires are.
Provincial Overview and Emergency Management
Hot and windy weather caused challenges on fires July 16, and there is no relief in the forecast. Winds are forecast to shift with the possibility of smoke heading into the south including the Kenora, Winnipeg and Thunder Bay areas. Rain and lightning will stay to the southern portions of the region.
Air attack was busy all day July 16, and a new fire – Kenora District Fire Number 27 near Separation Lake challenged aggressive air attack.
Several communities in the far north are having smoke issues in the community. Smoke is covering the area to the northeast and into Hudson Bay. Kasabonika was in smoke much of the day on July 16. Efforts were made to send in a ministry liaison representative into the community, but the flight had to turn back due to smoke.
No evacuations were occurring at the time of this report. The smoke is proving variable, on the ground in a community at one hour, and clear with a slight shift in wind or ventilation the next.
Power was restored July 15 to the powere line in the area of Red Lake District Fire 84. The fire received a small amount of rain overnight, but continues to stubborn and is burning across lines in a few places.
Sioux Lookout Fire Number 70 , south of Musselwhite mine moved to the East and and northeast on July 16 and damaged the power line south of the Musselwhite mine site which has been evacuated.
Evacuation of 111 stage 1 persons from Cat Lake is complete to Matachewan, adding to the 140 already in Kapuskasing. The return of Deer Lake residents from Greenstone is complete.
Fire suppression resources from within and outside Ontario continue to flow to the fires. An additional 100 firefighters from BC and an Incident Management Team and Overhead staff are scheduled to arrive on July 16. This brings the complement of BC personnel to about 360. Heat and a high humidex are an issue for people working on the fires.
New Fires
There were 13 new fires reported by the time of this report in the Northwest Region on July 16, including one in the Nipigon District, five in the Kenora District, three in the Red Lake District, three in the Sioux Lookout District and one in the Thunder Bay District.
Sioux Lookout Fire Number 70 challenges control efforts.
Fires of Note
Red Lake District Fire Number 84 – Jack Welch Incident Management Team
Photos and video of Red Lake Fire Number 84 are available here - RED LAKE 84 FIRES-PHOTOS
Red Lake 84 – lightning-caused - not under control - 13, 98 hectares in size: This fire is located about 50 kilometres northeast of Ear Falls.
The fire was remapped on the morning of July 16 and is now sized at 13,198 hectares. A ministry liaison person is working with the Incident Management Team to provide information to camp owners and others affected by the fire.
The fire received between 1.5 to 5 mm of rain on July 15, with 5 mm falling in the central area of the fire.
This allowed suppression staff to start the day with less active fire behaviour to contend with and their focus was to consolidate fire lines. There were some pockets of fire on the north and northeast corner of the fire, while the south end of the fire was relatively quiet on the morning of July 16.
High temperatures, low relative humidity and winds gusting to 50 km/hr in the southwest to westerly direction affected the fire behaviour on the west flank and northwest sections of the fire in the afternoon.
Heavy water bombers worked the east flank of the fire in the morning, heading north. Heli-bucketing continued throughout the morning supporting crews on the south end of the fire near Tarpley Lake which has a swath of blown down timber in the area.
Hydro One helicopters were on the hydro line, picking up any equipment left along the corridor, aiming to be done by day’s end July 16. The Hydro One crews finished repairing the hydro line and restored power to the five affected communities on the night of July 15.
Access is restricted to the public off of the Wenasaga Road where the Hydro line crosses north of One Island Lake.
Values protection of structures continues on the north and east of the fire. Value protection on outpost camps and trapper cabins was assessed this morning and all structures were protected.
Heavy Equipment is being used to construct lines on the northern side of fire to establish a containment line from the Wenesaga Road south to Latrielle Lake. The fire spotted over the dozer line in the mid afternoon.of July 16, and crews and air support have been working hard at trying to contain the jump over the line.
There are 20 Type 1 Ontario FireRanger crews and three twenty person British Columbia crews and five Type 2 crews. The BC crews arrived July 15 and staged from the Ear Falls Arena to be positioned on the fire as required.
Pickle Lake Complex - Fred Welch Incident Management Team
Sioux Lookout Fire 70 – lightning-caused - not under control – estimated to be between 20 and 25,000 hectares in size. This fire grew in size considerably on July 16 and is estimated at between 20 and 25,000 hectares. An ignition team conducted burning on the fire to bring it to natural boundaries and firefighters continued with values protection.
The Musselwhite Mine evacuated more personnel from the site. Power was temporarily restored to the mine when Hydro One repaired the damaged hydro lines on Red Lake District Fire 84. During the day on July 16 however, Sioux Lookout Fire 70 damaged hydro poles in the area of this fire and power was lost to the mine. This fire is located about southwest of Musselwhite Mine.
FireRanger crews have set up sprinkler protection on values as a precautionary move on July 14 and work is being done to establish a perimeter on the east flank of the fire as well as the dispatch of an Ignition Team on July 15 to fight fire with fire by bringing it down to natural boundaries and stop the fire’s advance.
Provincial Overview and Emergency Management
Hot and windy weather caused challenges on fires July 16, and there is no relief in the forecast. Winds are forecast to shift with the possibility of smoke heading into the south including the Kenora, Winnipeg and Thunder Bay areas. Rain and lightning will stay to the southern portions of the region.
Air attack was busy all day July 16, and a new fire – Kenora District Fire Number 27 near Separation Lake challenged aggressive air attack.
Several communities in the far north are having smoke issues in the community. Smoke is covering the area to the northeast and into Hudson Bay. Kasabonika was in smoke much of the day on July 16. Efforts were made to send in a ministry liaison representative into the community, but the flight had to turn back due to smoke.
No evacuations were occurring at the time of this report. The smoke is proving variable, on the ground in a community at one hour, and clear with a slight shift in wind or ventilation the next.
Power was restored July 15 to the powere line in the area of Red Lake District Fire 84. The fire received a small amount of rain overnight, but continues to stubborn and is burning across lines in a few places.
Sioux Lookout Fire Number 70 , south of Musselwhite mine moved to the East and and northeast on July 16 and damaged the power line south of the Musselwhite mine site which has been evacuated.
Evacuation of 111 stage 1 persons from Cat Lake is complete to Matachewan, adding to the 140 already in Kapuskasing. The return of Deer Lake residents from Greenstone is complete.
Fire suppression resources from within and outside Ontario continue to flow to the fires. An additional 100 firefighters from BC and an Incident Management Team and Overhead staff are scheduled to arrive on July 16. This brings the complement of BC personnel to about 360. Heat and a high humidex are an issue for people working on the fires.
New Fires
There were 13 new fires reported by the time of this report in the Northwest Region on July 16, including one in the Nipigon District, five in the Kenora District, three in the Red Lake District, three in the Sioux Lookout District and one in the Thunder Bay District.
Sioux Lookout Fire Number 70 challenges control efforts.
Fires of Note
Red Lake District Fire Number 84 – Jack Welch Incident Management Team
Photos and video of Red Lake Fire Number 84 are available here - RED LAKE 84 FIRES-PHOTOS
Red Lake 84 – lightning-caused - not under control - 13, 98 hectares in size: This fire is located about 50 kilometres northeast of Ear Falls.
The fire was remapped on the morning of July 16 and is now sized at 13,198 hectares. A ministry liaison person is working with the Incident Management Team to provide information to camp owners and others affected by the fire.
The fire received between 1.5 to 5 mm of rain on July 15, with 5 mm falling in the central area of the fire.
This allowed suppression staff to start the day with less active fire behaviour to contend with and their focus was to consolidate fire lines. There were some pockets of fire on the north and northeast corner of the fire, while the south end of the fire was relatively quiet on the morning of July 16.
High temperatures, low relative humidity and winds gusting to 50 km/hr in the southwest to westerly direction affected the fire behaviour on the west flank and northwest sections of the fire in the afternoon.
Heavy water bombers worked the east flank of the fire in the morning, heading north. Heli-bucketing continued throughout the morning supporting crews on the south end of the fire near Tarpley Lake which has a swath of blown down timber in the area.
Hydro One helicopters were on the hydro line, picking up any equipment left along the corridor, aiming to be done by day’s end July 16. The Hydro One crews finished repairing the hydro line and restored power to the five affected communities on the night of July 15.
Access is restricted to the public off of the Wenasaga Road where the Hydro line crosses north of One Island Lake.
Values protection of structures continues on the north and east of the fire. Value protection on outpost camps and trapper cabins was assessed this morning and all structures were protected.
Heavy Equipment is being used to construct lines on the northern side of fire to establish a containment line from the Wenesaga Road south to Latrielle Lake. The fire spotted over the dozer line in the mid afternoon.of July 16, and crews and air support have been working hard at trying to contain the jump over the line.
There are 20 Type 1 Ontario FireRanger crews and three twenty person British Columbia crews and five Type 2 crews. The BC crews arrived July 15 and staged from the Ear Falls Arena to be positioned on the fire as required.
Pickle Lake Complex - Fred Welch Incident Management Team
Sioux Lookout Fire 70 – lightning-caused - not under control – estimated to be between 20 and 25,000 hectares in size. This fire grew in size considerably on July 16 and is estimated at between 20 and 25,000 hectares. An ignition team conducted burning on the fire to bring it to natural boundaries and firefighters continued with values protection.
The Musselwhite Mine evacuated more personnel from the site. Power was temporarily restored to the mine when Hydro One repaired the damaged hydro lines on Red Lake District Fire 84. During the day on July 16 however, Sioux Lookout Fire 70 damaged hydro poles in the area of this fire and power was lost to the mine. This fire is located about southwest of Musselwhite Mine.
FireRanger crews have set up sprinkler protection on values as a precautionary move on July 14 and work is being done to establish a perimeter on the east flank of the fire as well as the dispatch of an Ignition Team on July 15 to fight fire with fire by bringing it down to natural boundaries and stop the fire’s advance.
Multiple fires are listed on fire boards in the region, with new fires reported daily
Sioux Lookout Fire Number 60 - not under control - estimated at about 16,000 hectares in size. Beginning the day at around 3,775 hectares, the fire has taken on considerable size. It is located approximately 56 km southwest of Musselwhite Mine
Sioux Lookout Fire 35 – lightning-caused – not under control – 79,000 hectares in size: This fire is about nine kilometres east of Mishkeegogamang at its closest point.
The fire is now 79,000 hectares in size. It remains about 9 kilometres east of Mishkeegogamang at its closest point. FireRangers on the fire continue to patrol for hot spots identified by infrared scanning, consolidate existing hose lines and are working in towards the interior of the fire. Fire behaviour is active on the head and flank and in storm damaged areas.
Veteran fire manager Eric Hansen tracks the fires on the Pickle Lake Complex
An Emergency Area Order remains in effect over the fire and travel restrictions are in place for a section of the Albany River in the vicinity of the fire.
Sioux Lookout Fire 38 – lightning-caused – being observed with some suppression action - 8,674 hectares in size: This fire is located about 16 kilometres north of Weagamow First Nation. The strategy on this fire continues to be heli-bucketing, dropping water on hot spots from a bucket slung below a helicopter, and with firefighters working with hand tools to put out hot spots located by infrared scanning.
Cat Lake/Slate Falls Complex - John MacDonald Incident Management Team
The Incident Command Team is set up at the Slate Falls Nation Band Office. Additional resources will be based at Cat Lake. There are 56 personnel on this fire complex.
Sioux Lookout Fire 61 – lightning-caused – not under control at 983 hectares in size: This fire is located about 44 kilometres southwest of the Cat Lake First Nation. This fire has Type 1 Ranger crews and Type 2 firefighters working the fire. They have established fire lines in key areas.
Sioux Lookout Fire 64 – lightning-caused – not under control at 2483 hectares in size: This fire is located about 40 kilometres southwest of Cat Lake. This fire has Type 1 FireRanger crews and Type 2 firefighters working along the east flank of the fire. This fire could see an increase in size on the north and east side given the weather forecast and predicted fire behaviour.
Sprinklers and hoses have been set up at values located on Brownstone Lake, Graham Lake, Carrilon Lake, Shearstone Lake, and Birch Lake
Deer Lake Complex – Wes Woods Incident Management Team
A twenty-person Incident Management Team is managing the Deer Lake-Sandy Lake Complex, with 139 staff working on the fires. The Incident Management Team is operating out of the Deer Lake School with members of the Deer Lake community providing much needed logistical support to the team.
Kingfisher Lake Complex – Sioux Lookout Fires 47, 48, 50
Consultations with the Chief of Kingfisher Lake and Deputy Chief of Wunnumin were focused on smoke conditions in the respective communities on July 15.
Consultations are ongoing with provincial and federal agencies along with the affected communities of Kingfisher, Wunnumin and Kasabonika to assess the possible need for an evacuation of the elderly, people with health issues and young children in what is known as a Phase 1 evacuation.
Sioux Lookout Fire 47 – being observed – 2,900 hectares in size: This fire is located about 50 kilometres south of the community of Wunnumin Lake. An assessment of the fire showed intermittent crown and multiple tree torching along the eastern and northern flank with sporadic crowning in trees along ridges. The fire is also deep burning with firebrands spotting outside of the main fire by about 400 meters under moderate to strong winds. There is an intense surface fire backing through an old fire area and weather damaged forest. Actions may include suppression on strategic sections of the fire.
Sioux Lookout Fire 48 – being observed – 1,400 hectares in size. This fire is located is located 25 kilometres north of the community of Kingfisher Lake. Fire behaviour on this fire was active on the southern flank.
The fire is being assessed for its future spread potential and whether limited suppression on portions of the fire will be needed. Sprinkler systems are on a cabin and bridges in the vicinity of the fire. The fire is being assessed for its future spread potential. Actions may include suppression on strategic sections of the fire.
Sioux Lookout Fire 50 – being observed – 190 hectares in size: This fire is located about 20 kilometres south of Kingfisher Lake. Significant growth was observed on the eastern and northern flanks. On July 15, late afternoon fire behavior increased. The spread in the fire was flanked by a swamp and spread to the other size. During the peak burning period at the hottest, driest and windiest point, the fire showed a 100 percent flaming perimeter. The fire will continue to be observed.
Sioux Lookout Fire 51 – being observed – 307.0 hectares in size: This fire is located about 30 kilometres southeast of Kingfisher Lake (southeast of Sioux Lookout 50). Observed fire behaviour included intermittent burning through the crowns of trees and multiple trees showed torching. The fire has potential to spread north along the top of ridges. There was some limit to the spread rates of the fire on the southern flanks as it burned through an old forest fire area, generating thick smoke. Portions of the fire spread over a kilometer on the top of ridges under higher winds on July 15. An 80 percent flaming perimeter was observed during the peak burning period. The fire will continue to be observed.
Sioux Lookout Fire 84 – being observed – 500 hectares in size: This fire is located about 18 kilometres west of the Musselwhite Mine. It had intermittent crowning and multiple tree torching. It has potential to spread to the north, south and east. Spread is limited to the west by Wastayanipi Lake. The fire traveled over on kilometer on July 15 under high winds.
The priority on these fires is to provide for the safety of community members and fire personnel.
Active Fires
There are currently 89 active fires in the Northwest Region with an area of 172, 483 hectares burned over. This brings the seasonal total in the region to 348 fires and an area burned of 177, 208 hectares.
Map of Current Active Fires
Forest Fire Hazard
The fire hazard is moderate in the southern portions of the region, roughly in an area from the TransCanada Highway 17 south. The fire hazard rises into the north to high and extreme.
Fire Danger Map
Safety Message
A reminder of the Restricted Fire Zone in the north and northwest portions of the region which puts a ban on all outdoor fires. In those areas without a fire ban, the public is advised to manage their outdoor fires safely. It is the public's responsibility to find out where the boundary lines for the Restricted Fire Zone prior to setting any outdoor fires.
Forest fires can be reported by calling 310-FIRE (3473)
For general fire questions: Forest Fire Information Hotline: 1-888-258-8842
Smoke and health related questions: Telehealth Ontario 1-866-797-0000
