Provincial fire update

MNR News Release

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Fire situation report July 29, 2007.

New Fires Yesterday
West Fire Region (WFR) 3
East Fire Region (EFR) 3
Total 6

Active Fires Today
WFR 7
EFR 17
Total 24

Total Fire To Date
WFR 244
EFR 295
Total 539

Total HA To Date
WFR 32, 502
EFR 6, 688
Total 39, 190

Ontario
Fires to date - Last Year 1,063
Hectares to date - Last Year 32,749
Fires to date - 10 Year Avg. 825
Hectares to date - 10 Year Avg. 106,038

1. Current Situation
There were 6 new fires confirmed yesterday in the Sudbury (2), Sault Ste. Marie (1), Fort Frances (1), Nipigon (1) and Sioux Lookout (1) districts. The 2 Sudbury fires were on Manitoulin Island and have responded well to aggressive air and ground attack. They grew to 4 and 12.5 ha. before being held. The Fort Frances fire is a small lightning caused fire on a small island on Sarah Lake at the south end of Quetico Park. This fire meets the criteria for a Prescribed Fire which is one that, having met predetermined burning prescriptions, can provide beneficial results to the ecosystem in the park. As such this Prescribed Fire will be monitored with no suppression action at this time.

The fire hazard is moderate to high across the province today. Holdover lightning fires will continue to arrive with sunny, dry weather. Resources are adequate to contain new fires.

We can expect to have public reports of smoke in the northern portions of the province. Some minor amounts of smoke will be from northern fires in Ontario but the majority of smoke is from major fires in the northern prairies and in Minnesota.

Ongoing Fires
NIP 58 is responding well to suppression efforts and is being held. The fires near Fort Severn are under control.

Contacts

East Fire Region
1-866-357-8422

West Fire Region
1-807- 937-7241

To report a fire:

East Fire Region
1-888-863-3473 (FIRE)

West Fire Region
1-888-284-3473 (FIRE)

Fire information:
www.ontario.ca/forestfire