The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has reported 73 active forest fires in the Northeast as of Saturday night.
Twenty-nine of these fires are not yet under control, while 44 are either being held, under control or being observed.
Of note, eleven of these new and active fires are located within the North Bay sector.
They include:
North Bay 54 covers 2.5 of a hectare and is not yet under control. It is located south of Alice Lake approximately 8 km east of Hwy 11 North.
North Bay 45 is located 1 km west of Lower Twin Lake. It covers 0.1 of a hectare and it is not yet under control at this time.
North Bay 56 is located just east of Moosehead Lake, it covers 0.2 of a hectare and is not yet under control.
North Bay 57 is west of Driftwood Lake, approximately 4 km southeast of the Lake Temagami Access Rd. It is 0.1 of a hectare and is not yet under control.
North Bay 58 is approximately 1 km west of Boyce Lake, it covers 2 hectares and is not yet under control at the time of this update.
North Bay 59 is located within Obabika Lake Provincial Park. It is not under control at 0.6 of a hectare.
North Bay 60 is west of Cassels Lake. It covers 0.7 of a hectare and is not yet under control.
North Bay 61 is an 8-hectare lightning fire within Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park. It is not yet under control.
North Bay 62 is a 200-hectare fire located southwest of Hand Lake, approximately 12 km northeast of River Valley. Aerial fire suppression continued well into the evening, it is not yet under control.
North Bay 63 and North Bay 64 are located south of Depot Lake approximately 10 km southwest of Deux-Rivières. They are 1 hectare each and both are not yet under control at the time of this update.
Due to the extreme fire hazard, several recent periods of heavy lightning and the large number of wildfires burning, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has implemented a Restricted Fire Zone in some areas of Northeastern Ontario including North Bay.
During a Restricted Fire Zone, the use of open fires – such as campfires, or burning of brush or debris, is restricted. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $25,000 and three months in jail, as well as financial responsibility for the costs incurred in fighting a forest fire.
