FireRangers who have come from across the continent continue to make gains against forest fires in northeastern Ontario.
The latest report from the AFFES (Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services) branch of the MNRF says there were no new fires confirmed in the reporting period and three fires extinguished.
Friday, the MNRF announced the Restricted Fire Zone has been removed in some areas due to precipitation and successful containment of fires, but North Bay and West Nipissing are still under the ban.
The zones still affected include areas north of Rosseau, northwest to Espanola and Cartier, over to the Quebec border including Temagami and Mattawa north of the Mattawa River. This includes Parry Sound, Burk’s Falls, Powassan, North Bay and Greater Sudbury. For a visual representation of the affected areas please visit our interactive map Ontario.ca/forestfire.
Incident Management Teams have been in place for several weeks and are managing the priority fire Parry Sound 33, as well as fires in the Lady Evelyn Cluster, including Ontario’s largest fire by area, North Bay 72.
To our southwest, suppression operations continue to take place in the interior of Parry Sound 33. Crews are employing helicopter bucketing, pump and hose, chainsaw and hand tool operations. Infrared scanning continues to take place, helping crews to track and extinguish hotspots
There was no growth on the fire this weekend and Parry Sound 33 remains at 11,362 hectares.
With the adjustment to the Implementation Order, people are able to return to their cottages and residences. A daytime travel restriction remains for Pickerel River and Key River. For details and a map visit Ontario.ca/forestfire.
Parks Ontario says Grundy Lake Provincial Park south of Sudbury re-opened over the weekend. It had been closed an evacuated two weeks ago due to smoke from Parry Sound 33 fire.
In the Lady Evelyn Fire Cluster, no growth reported when it comes to North Bay 72. Crews continue to remove equipment from areas of the fire that are less active. Officials say the fire is being held at just over 27,000 hectares.
Forest fire activity reports show 41 active forest fires across the northeast. Of these, six are not yet under control, 35 are either being held, under control or being observed.