Over 2,000 people expected to evacuate from northwestern Ontario First Nations due to wildfires

Evacuations of Pikangikum and North Spirit Lake First Nations in northwestern Ontario are expected to begin Friday, as out-of-control wildfires burn near the remote communities.

In a statement released Thursday evening, Ontario Provincial Police say about 2,000 people from Pikangikum are expected to relocate to Mississauga and Toronto areas beginning Saturday. About 4,000 people live in the First Nation.

The wildfire burning near the community, called Red Lake 62, is covering about 26,000 hectares of land, according to provincial fire officials.

Pikangikum, located more than 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont., has been experiencing poor air quality due to the wildfire situation in both Ontario and Manitoba, along with extreme heat.

An air quality warning remains in effect for Pikangikum as of Friday morning, along with Ear Falls, Red Lake, Poplar Hill and Sandy Lake First Nations.

As much of the far north faces smoky conditions, three other First Nations in the region are also threatened by area forest fires.

Spike in wildfire activity reported in northwestern Ontario 

In a post on social media, the Chief of North Spirit Lake said evacuation efforts are beginning Friday morning, with evacuees flying to Thunder Bay and Toronto.

The fire burning near the First Nation is covering over 11,000 hectares of land. Provincial fire crews are also focusing their efforts on a cluster of fires burning near MacDowell Lake First Nation, along with a fire burning near Cat Lake First Nation.

The evacuations and flurry of wildfire activity comes after a brief period of reprieve on the landscape in northwestern Ontario.

Over the last two weeks, dozens of fires were being reported in the region but most were being observed or held by provincial fire crews.

The month of June was a particularly active time for wildfires in northwestern Ontario, and multiple First Nations were forced to evacuate.

Last week, Sandy Lake First Nation began sending its members back home after weeks of being displaced, however those efforts were paused Thursday due to the escalating wildfire situation in the region.

Officials from the First Nation said all available aircrafts have been put on standby for "other emergency operations."

Hundreds of people from Sandy Lake First Nation are still displaced, according to a statement shared by the First Nation on Thursday.

Ontario crews working 'around the clock'

Maria Votsis, a spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources, told CBC News in an email early Friday afternoon that provincial crews are actively responding to the fires around Pikangikum and North Spirit Lake First Nations.

"Wildland fire management staff are working around the clock to protect these communities through aerial suppression, ground operations, and structural protection efforts. Our highly trained FireRangers, supported by a fleet of specialized aircraft and advanced technology, are among the best in the world," Votsis said.

"We are dedicating all necessary resources to ensure the safety and protection of Ontario's communities and natural resources. If needed, we can draw on national and international partners through mutual aid agreements to ensure we have the right resources in place."