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Air support brought in to fight Night Hawk Lake fire

Fire has destroyed 82 hectares of forest and is not under control

FOREST FIRE SITUATION UPDATE
AVIATION, FOREST FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
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Northeast Fire Region

By the evening of July 14, there are 46 active forest fires across the Northeast, of these, 18 are not yet under control, 28 are either being held, under control or being observed. Nine fires have been extinguished over the last 24 hours.

  • Timmins 12, located east of Night Hawk Lake, received air support today from water bombers to assist firefighting efforts on the ground. This fire is listed at 82 hectares and not under control.

Three fires were discovered in the evening hours today.

  • Sudbury 74 is not under control at 1.2 hectares and is located south of Burwash. Crews are currently working to contain the fire.
  • Chapleau 15 is not under control at 3 hectare. Four CL-415s water bombers were dispatched to help contain this fire in addition to 2 FireRanger crews. This fire is located north of Foleyet.
  • North Bay 94 is currently not under control at 0.1 of a hectare and is located east of Highway 11 among the Temagami fire cluster.

Today we saw hot and muggy conditions across the Temagami, River Valley and Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park areas. Due to recent precipitation the fire activity today was reduced.

Incident Management Teams

Incident Management Teams (IMTs) have mobilized in the region and are taking over priority fires in 3 areas:

  • River Valley Cluster
  • Lake Temagami Cluster
  • Lady Evelyn Cluster

River Valley Fire Cluster:

North Bay 62 is 2 500 hectares and is currently not under control. Twelve fire crews are utilizing pump and hose on the north end of the fire constructing fire line. North Bay 42 has 6 fire crews working to contain it. These fires received less the 5 mm of rain but high humidity helped FireRangers make progress.

Lady Evelyn Fire Cluster:

North Bay 72 has 12 crews working towards the northern section of the fire. This fire was supported with helicopter bucketing in order to reduce spread to the north. Some rain was recorded in the area but was scattered and variable. Tomorrow will likely be a more active fire day. 

Temagami Fire Cluster:

With recent precipitation and favourable weather conditions, many of the smaller fires in this cluster have been brought to a being held or under control status. Fire activity today was reduced and crews continued to make progress. Two fires were remapped to reflect a more accurate size. Although there has been no growth in recent days, North Bay 69 fire is now listed at 221 hectares and North Bay 55 at 74.6 hectares.

Resources from Out of Province

  • Saskatchewan has provided three support staff and an Air Tanker Package
  • Alberta has supplied fifteen four-person initial attack fire crews, a 19 person Incident Management Team, and eight support staff. There are also two Air Tanker Packages
  • British Columbia has supplied twenty three-person crews and two support staff
  • Nova Scotia has supplied five four person crews and two support staff
  • Prince Edward Island has supplied a four-person crew
  • Newfoundland has supplied a four-person crew and one support staff
  • Northwest Territories has supplied six four-person crews and one support staff
  • Minnesota has supplied two support staff

Additional Resources Expected in the Coming Days

  • We are expecting additional support from Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and British Columbia in the coming days to help manage the current fire situation

Smoke concerns

  • Many Ontario residents have reported smoke drift in their communities. Smoky conditions are expected to continue when fires are active, until weather patterns change.
  • AFFES is reminding the public that if they do see flames or smoke, please report it, and stay away from the area in the interest of public safety.
  • If you have questions or concerns about smoke and your health, please contact Tele Health Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.

Temagami area information

The MNRF has been advised by the Municipality of Temagami that the Mandatory Evacuation Orders from Temagami Shores, at the south edge of the town of Temagami, to Jessie Lake including Bell Island on Lake Temagami have been downgraded to an Evacuation Alert. Residents may return home however, must remain on alert as they can be asked to leave again at any time based on the fire situation. Other Evacuation Alerts remain in place.

Travel Restrictions

MNRF issued an Emergency Area Order (EAO) for parts of the North Bay District due to active fires around Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater, Lake Temagami and the North Bay District.

  • Please visit Ontario.ca/forestfire as this information is being updated regularly.
  • For information about these travel restrictions: 705-475-5546
  • For inquiries by members of the public contact: 705-564-6165
  • For inquiries on highway closures: Call 5-1-1 

Fire numbers and online information:

  • To report a forest fire located north of the French and Mattawa rivers, please dial 310-FIRE (3473)
  • To report a forest fire located south of the French or Mattawa rivers, please dial 911.
  • Follow us on Twitter: in English @ONForestFires or in French @ONFeuDeForêt
  • For up to date information on current fires in the province or to check the forest fire hazard in your area, visit Ontario.ca/forestfire

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