The number of out-of-province firefighters helping about 400 Ontario firefighters battling forest fires in Northeastern Ontario has grown to almost 200.
Nearly every Canadian province plus the Northwest Territories has responded with what help they can provide.
The ground crews are in addition to air support in the form of water bombers from Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The planes are scooping up thousands of gallons of water from nearby lakes and dropping them on the fires.
The wind has become a factor with several of the fires and it’s resulting in smoke in the River Valley region as well as the community of Temagami and Lady Evelyn Smoothwater Provincial Park.
The fires in the River Valley, Temagami and Lady Evelyn Smoothwater Provincial Park area are considered priorities and getting a lot of attention.
While the fire in the park as grown beyond the park borders, the one close to Temagami has been reduced in size.
As of Thursday afternoon there were 66 fires burning with 26 of them still out of control.
The remaining 40 are either under control, being held or being observed.
Also, as a consequence of the ongoing fires, this weekend’s Pow wow in Temagami has been postponed.