Forest fire near Temiskaming Shores still not under control

Aug. 7: 22 forest fires burning in the northeast Fire crews continued to fight out of control wildfires in the areas of Temiskaming Shores and Hearst on Wednesday.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry continued to fight forest fires in the Temiskaming Shores and Hearst areas on Wednesday.

As of the afternoon on Aug. 7, officials said there were 22 active fires in the northeast region with 17 of them are being observed.

Northeast Region Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services said eight fire ranger crews are battling the Kirkland Lake 5 fire with no requests for air attacks on Wednesday. Kirkland Lake was confirmed by the ministry on Aug. 3 and it has burned approximately 250 hectares.

Officials told CTV News the blaze is responding well to suppression efforts but it’s not out yet.

“At this time, the status remains not under control and then until they establish a solid perimeter around the fire,” said Isabelle Chenard, communications and media relations specialist with the ministry.

Interactive Fire Map

Chenard said people can keep informed about the situation via the province’s online interactive map.

The MNRF’s interactive map visually shows active fires, current fire danger across Ontario and any restricted fire zones in effect with real-time updates as information becomes available.

The map can be viewed here.

Not as bad as 2023

Chenard said the fire season in Ontario this year is not as busy as last year, with 260 confirmed forest fires confirmed so far this year compared to more than 600 at the time last year.

Reporting a wildland fire

To report a wildland fire located north of the French and Mattawa rivers, please dial 310-FIRE. To report a wildland fire located south of the French or Mattawa Rivers, please dial 911.

With files from CTVNorthernOntario.ca journalist Dan Bertrand