On July 20, 2018 at approximately 11:00 a.m. After the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) recommended that the community of Key Harbour impose a mandatory evacuation of its residents (on the south side of the Key River); and recommended that the municipality of Killarney impose a mandatory evacuation for its residents (on the north side of the Key River - SOUTH of French River Provincial Park), members of the West Parry Sound Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) began assisting with the evacuation.
On July 21, 2018 - OPP also assisted with further evacuations after the MNRF's Parry Sound district recommended that the communities, municipalities and townships within the area below impose a mandatory evacuation of their residents with boat access only including: All areas ranging from the western and northern borders of French River Provincial Park, east to Highway 69, and as far south as the south shore of the Key River; including all residents and members of the public on both the north and south shores of the French River, and the Pickerel River, as well as Hartley Bay.
The MNRF has also recommended that those communities in this same area whose residents have road access to their homes and cottages be placed on an evacuation alert, pending any changes to the fire situation. It was also recommended that residents of Hartley Bay Road be placed on evacuation alert as well. For details about these recommendations, consult Ontario.ca/forestfire.
The OPP is also assisting the Henvey Inlet First Nation with an evacuation of their village.
"If planning travel, avoid Highway 69 in the Key River and Henvey Inlet area," OPP stated in the release.
For any information regarding active forest fires in the region please contact the Aviation and Forest fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) at (705) 564-6165.
