The wildfire situation in northeastern Ontario appears to be heating up, based on the latest from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
There were 10 new wildland fires in the northeast region since the ministry firefighting division's last report on Thursday.
Eight of these fires were confirmed this afternoon (Sunday, May 19), according to Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services for the northeast fire region.
New fires reported today are:
- Sault Ste. Marie 3 (SAU003) is a 5 hectare fire that is not yet under control. This fire is located about 2.5 km west of Highway 108 and about 3.5 km south of Mississagi Provincial Park. Two crews are committed to this fire. An aerial fire suppression team was on site Sunday afternoon. The fire is responding well to suppression efforts.
- Chapleau 2 (CHA002) is a 0.3 hectare fire that is not yet under control. This fire is located about 13 km southwest of the intersection of Highways 101 and 129. An aerial fire suppression team was on site Sunday afternoon.
- Bancroft 4 (BAN004) is a 0.7 hectare fire that it is being held. This fire is located on the east side of Hicks Lake, between Bark Lake and Papineau Lake, about 16 km southwest of Barry's Bay. One crew is committed to this fire.
- Bancroft 5 (BAN005) is a 1.8 hectare fire that is not yet under control. This fire is located northeast of Hicks Lake.
- Bancroft 6 (BAN006) is a 1 hectare fire that is not yet under control. This fire is located between Potash Lake and Hicks Lake. One crew is committed to this fire.
- Hearst 5 (HEA005) is a 0.6 fire and that is under control. This fire is located Lac Pivabiska north of West's Bay and about 2 km northeast of Marina Veilleux. One crew is committed to this fire.
- Cochrane 4 (COC004) is a 1.3 hectare fire that it is being held. This fire is located about 2 km south of Greenwater Provincial Park and 1 km west of Rural Route 668. Two crews are committed to this fire.
- Cochrane 5 (COC005) is a 2 hectare fire that is not yet under control. This fire is located southwest of the junction of roads 652 and 574.
Two other fires are now out:
- Bancroft 3 (BAN003) was a 0.1 hectare fire confirmed on May 17 and called out later that same day. This fire was located off the intersection of Whytes Road and Boulter Road, about 22 km northeast of Bancroft.
- Sudbury 4 (SUD004) was a 0.5 hectare fire confirmed on May 17 and called out on May 18. This fire was about 2.5 km south of Highway 17 and about 5 km west of Markstay.
At the time of the update, the fire hazard ranged from moderate to high for most of the northeast region and extreme from Chapleau through to Cochrane, and pockets around Temiskaming Shores, the AFFES said.
The MNRF's firefighting division said in will now be issuing daily updates on the fire situation.