Wildfires in Fort Frances and Sioux Lookout, Ont., districts force evacuation alert, travel restrictions

Evacuation and travel alerts have been issued in the Fort Frances and Sioux Lookout districts in northwestern Ontario as wildfires grow in both areas.

As of Thursday morning, 10 forest fires are burning in the northwest region, and half of them aren't under control.

In the Sioux Lookout district, Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) issued an implementation order Wednesday evening. 

The order aims to protect the public while allowing crews to carry out suppression efforts. 

It includes the area around the fire known as Sioux Lookout 3, which was first reported on Tuesday afternoon. The fire is burning north of Savant Lake, covering over 2,000 hectares of land.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has closed Highway 599 and travel is restricted on Highway 516 east of Houghton Lake.

Fort Frances district wildfire forces evacuation alert

Further south, a wildfire called Fort Frances 4 by the MNR is covering over 3,200 hectares of land. The MNR issued an evacuation alert Wednesday afternoon, encouraging people to prepare to evacuate on short notice. 

Fort Frances 4 is burning just north of Crystal Lake and is not under control.

The alert has been issued for all areas accessed by Camp 111 Road, Crooked Pine Road and all roads accessing Crystal Lake.

The MNR alert also covers the following areas:

• Nydia Lake.
• Eva Lake.
• Kawene Lake.
• Marion Lake and Marion Lake Road. 
• Crystal Lake. 
• Niobe Lake.
• Nickleby Lake Road and Nickleby Lake.
• Sapawe Lake and Sapawe Road. 
• Upsala Road.
• Premier Lake Road.
• Marmion Lake, Reserve Island, Hoist Camp Narrows, and  Reserve Bay.
• Osinawi Lake.
• Pipeline Road.
• Sawbill Road.
• Cloven Road.
• Pinecone Road.
• Caldwell Road and Hardtack Road.

People in these areas are urged to stay up to date on the fire situation and to prepare an emergency bag with essential items like medicine, passports and legal documents.

As of Wednesday evening, eight crews were working on the Fort Frances district fire, and helicopter bucketing operations were ongoing through the day, according to the MNR's Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services.

The restrictions and evacuation order in place in the Fort Frances and Sioux Lookout districts follow similar measures in the Kenora district issued earlier this week.

Restricted fire zone notice

On Thursday, the MNR  gave notice that it will declare a restricted fire zone effective Friday at 12:01 a.m. until further notice for a portion of the Northwest Region (Zones 2, 3, 6, 7, 8).

The complete fire ban includes areas between the U.S. and Manitoba borders to Atikokan, and north to Pickle Lake.

The notice said no open air burning, including campfires, is permitted within the boundaries of a Restricted Fire Zone.  Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth but must be handled with extreme caution.  All burning permits are suspended.

The forest fire situation began to escalate in northwestern Ontario last week, as much of the region experiences dry and hot conditions.

The weather forecast has about 15 to 20 mm of rain expected across parts of the region over the next two days. A fire official said if the rainfall materializes, it will help moderate the extreme fire behaviour in the region.