THUNDER BAY, Ont - It is not necessary to declare a state of emergency right now to deal with forest fires that have driven thousands of people from their homes in northwestern Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Friday.

McGuinty was in the region to survey the damage and talk with fire personnel, volunteers and evacuees, and said he would "leave that door open," but that for now the province was doing a lot already to help.

"We're listening to advice that we get, but it doesn't appear to us certainly at this point in time to be necessary," McGuinty said.

"I think if I was caught up in this, I have one question alone: That is, 'Are we doing everything necessary to protect me, my property, to get these fires out?' I think those are the big questions everyone's asking and the answer in all three cases is, yes we are."

The situation is an emergency as far as he is concerned and the province is treating it as such, McGuinty said. Help being provided includes aircraft and financial support for the effort, he said.

"I've also said to the folks I've met with here today, 'If there's anything else we need to do, you need to let us know,"' McGuinty said. "I'm confident we're doing what needs doing."

The premier will also visit Thunder Bay later in the day.

He left a premiers' conference in Vancouver two days early, saying he wanted to make sure all assistance possible is offered to those affected by the fires.

More than 3,000 people have been evacuated due to heavy smoke and fast moving flames, with many destined for communities far from home.

The province says 114 fires are burning over nearly 500,000 hectares of forest, mostly in the northwest, though showers have brought some temporary relief in many of the blazes.

About 2,000 firefighters and support staff, including close to 600 personnel from other provinces, are battling the fires.

Most out-of-province firefighters are from British Columbia, which sent another 74 to Ontario on Thursday, bumping its total contribution to well over 500.

Sixteen water bombers and 85 other aircraft are involved in the operation.

Ontario has deployed a special medical team to Thunder Bay, where evacuees are initially being sent.