As northwestern Ontario's largest wildfire is being held, evacuees continue to return home

Hundreds of wildfire evacuees are continuing to return to Sandy Lake First Nation, now that northwestern Ontario's largest wildfire is being held. 

Red Lake 12 — a fire that's grown to more than 195,000 hectares — prompted community evacuations in multiple remote First Nations at the end of May and into early June. 

The repatriation of some 2,000 members of Sandy Lake began on Friday. The remote Oji-Cree community in Treaty 5 territory is more than 600 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay.

"We appreciate your patience. Things will change, and change again. Weather delays, mechanical issues, and emergencies," Sandy Lake First Nation said in an update on Facebook on Monday afternoon.

According to its update, more than 500 people who were staying in Niagara Falls are now back in Sandy Lake. Meanwhile, those who were staying in Beaver Lake are expected to be home by Tuesday.

Evacuees in Kapuskasing will continue to board flights home until at least Thursday, with flights from Mississauga scheduled into Wednesday, where evacuees will first stop in Thunder Bay before being transferred onto Dash 8 planes to Sandy Lake. 

Further flights for evacuees staying in Peterborough, Barrie and Thunder Bay are expected in the coming days, the First Nation said.

Those staying in private accommodations in Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Sioux Lookout and Dryden are expected to be flown out once the majority of residents have returned home from other host communities.

Meanwhile, more than 800 wildfire evacuees from Deer Lake First Nation began their journey home from Toronto at the end of June.

Crews tracking suspected lightning fires 

In its latest update Monday evening, Ontario Forest Fires said fire behaviour remains low on Red Lake 12. The fire "currently has 18 firefighting crews assigned to three divisions on the fire's south and eastern perimeters. Crews are supported by seven helicopters."

"Crews continue to patrol for smoke to put out hotspots throughout the southern and eastern sections of the fire today. Bucketing helicopters will be used to put out hotspots as required," Ontario Forest Fires' website says.

Meanwhile, crews are taking down pumps and hoses where they are no longer needed and shipping equipment out of Deer Lake and Sandy Lake over the next few days.

Still, at least 42 wildfires are burning across northwestern Ontario which are being tracked on the province's interactive forest fire map. The wildland fire hazard is moderate to low across the southern part of the region, including Kenora, Dryden Fort Frances and Thunder Bay.

However, Red Lake and most of the far north is under high hazard with pockets of extreme hazard, Ontario Forest Fires says.

"Suspected lightning fires continue to surface over recent days, particularly in the far north portions of the Red Lake and Sioux Lookout fire management areas which [have] received less rainfall than other parts of the northwest while also experiencing lightning," it says.

As always, people are advised to abide by Ontario's outdoor burning regulations, which remain in effect until Oct. 31.