It was a busy weekend for local fire crews.
There were 17 new starts across the northwest region; 7 on Saturday and 10 on Sunday.
Most were in the Thunder Bay and Fort Frances districts, with only one in the Dryden area.
There are now 114 active fires burning and 16 are considered not under control.
A restricted fire zone is still in place.
Fires of Note
Kenora 51
-Kenora 51 is 200,667 hectares in size and remains not under control.
-Kenora 51 remains 20 km north of Wabaseemoong on the northern side of Umfreville Lake.
-A number of fire crews who have been contributing to the suppression effort for the past 14 days, are headed off the fire to refresh. Additional crews continue to be cycled in and placed on the fire line to continue with suppression efforts.
-Fire behaviour is on the rise over the next few days as sunny conditions, higher temperatures and lower relative humidity levels return to the fire area.
-On the fire’s west side, crews supported by bucketing helicopters are establishing hoselines and limiting the spread of the fire in the direction of the Davidson Lake area.
-On the fire’s southeastern flank, crews supported by bucketing helicopters are establishing hoselines in the Fletcher Lake, Rowdy Lake and Right Lake areas.
-Additional crews are expected to join the suppression effort over the weekend.
-Heavy equipment continues to develop fireguard to the east and south of the fire
-An Incident Management Team is established on the fire.
Red Lake 65
-The fire is 20,254 hectares and located 6 kilometres west of Poplar Hill First Nation.
-Crews continue laying and working hose lines on strategic areas of the fires. Heli-buckets continue to assist where needed.
-Fire behaviour is smouldering with some visible smoke
Red Lake 51
-The fire is 53,522 hectares and located approximately 24 kilometres west of Deer Lake First Nation.
-Crews are working hose lines along the east side of the fire.
-Fire behaviour is smouldering with some visible smoke.
-An Incident Management Team has been assigned to oversee this fire.
Red Lake 77
-The fire is not under control and is 32,799 ha, approximately 33 km west of Red Lake.
-Several interior smokes were detected today; fire activity is increasing due to wind and lower relative humidity
-The western flank of Red 77 is showing more active fire behaviour with some open flame.
-Crews are using hose and hand tools to action new smokes with Heli-buckets supporting
-Infrared scanning continues overnight to assist crews
-There is an expectation of increased fire behaviour along the eastern flank due to drying winds and increased temperatures. Crews continue to make progress as hotspots are detected
Currently, 222 out of province staff from Australia, Mexico, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Wisconsin and the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre are supporting Ontario during the escalated fire situation in the Northwest region: https://t.co/E0X45LA6Hl pic.twitter.com/M0ovGXX3R3
— Ontario Forest Fires (@ONforestfires) August 14, 2021
