Dry weather sparks 20 new forest fires in northwest Ontario
Baku, August 3 (AZERTAC). Dry weather and lightning strikes have sparked 20 new forest fires in northwestern Ontario as more than 1,000 residents prepare to return home.
Some 140 fires are now burning, with most of the new blazes cropping up in the eastern regions.
Meanwhile, more than 500 residents of Sandy Lake and Deer Lake are expected to return to their communities on Tuesday.
Ministry of Community Safety spokesman Greg Flood said the goal is to repatriate the remaining 687 people by the end of Wednesday.
“But that`s obviously fluid depending on the planes,” Mr. Flood said Tuesday afternoon.
Ministry of Natural Resources spokeswoman Stephanie Pagnucco said the periodic rain that the region is receiving isn`t enough to dampen the dry weather conditions.
“Our weather systems right now ... are moving in and out of the province extremely quickly, so that`s why we`re getting these wet one day, dry one day kind of conditions,” said Ms. Pagnucco.
More than 2,000 firefighters, including 586 from outside the province, are fighting the blazes backed by about 100 aircraft.
Crews are continuing to monitor the smoke near communities that have seen residents return, including Fort Hope First Nation, Mishkeegogamang First Nation and Cat Lake First Nation.
“Firefighters are continuously securing the line in the community perimeters,” says Ms. Pagnucco. “We`ve ensured that it`s safe for them to move back, but we`re still monitoring the smoke hazard very closely because it can change quickly.”
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