Fires Consume Forests in Canada

Amaury · May 26, 2012

This is just awful and not healthy at all for the environment. I really hope that no one has been hurt so far.

Sources: Canada Yahoo! News, CBC News Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Publication Dates by Order of Sources: 5/25/2012, 5/24/2012, 5/26/2012

Canada Yahoo! News said:

A new forest fire is burning north of Highway 101 near Timmins, Ont., creating a new challenge for firefighters who have been working to contain another fire in the area.

Karen Passmore, a Ministry of Natural Resources fire information officer, said Friday that the new fire prompted the evacuation of a campground.

The new fire comes as crews battle to contain an another fire in the Timmins area. The existing fire, considered the largest in the province, is still about 30-35 kilometres from the city.

"It did cross over Highway 144, we don't have a lot of information at this point, but we'll continue to provide information as we recieve it," Passmore said Friday.

According to the MNR, strong, gusting winds led to "significant growth" on the large Timmins fire in recent days.

But fire crews are hoping for some relief over the weekend. Forecasts suggest that winds could become light in some areas and there's a chance of rain in the region.

That unpredictability and heavy smoke that's hanging over the city has Timmins residents like Rochelle Lavoie on edge.

â€œI'm not sure what is going on,â€ she said.

Timmins has declared a state of emergency. The Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter at a hockey rink, and as many as 1,000 evacuees are expected to check in here. But most people are staying with friends and family for now.

Emergency officials were to meet later this morning to assess whether the fire is moving any closer to this city of almost 50,000 people.

A similar scene will play out in the Kirkland Lake area, where forest fires are also an issue.

That community of 10,000 people remains on standby to evacuate. The fire there is much smaller but is burning just a few kilometres away.

According to Emergency Management Ontario, about 1,300 people are working to fight fires in northern Ontario.

About 800 people have been displaced by the fires in the Kirkland Lake and Timmins areas, the Ministry of Natural Resources said.
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CBC News Canada said:

A state of emergency has been declared in the city of Timmins, Ont., as a 24,600-hectare forest fire blankets the area in smoke.

A Ministry of Natural Resources update issued late Thursday afternoon warned that the fire is about 30 kilometres away from the city and is exhibiting "extreme fire behaviour" due to strong winds. It is expected to grow overnight and into Friday.

"The problem is the winds are blowing straight out of the south," CBC meteorologist Nick Czernkovich said late Thursday afternoon. "A 10-degree shift in the winds can make a big difference, but at this point the fire is heading more or less toward the town."

The fire risk is extreme in the area, and the weather Friday could bring both rain and lightning. "It is a double-edged sword," Czernkovich said, adding that there is "big concern" about the next 24 hours.

The ministry said there is concern about shifting winds in the area. Mattagami First Nation declared an emergency and 118 residents were evacuated to Kapuskasing, the ministry said on its website.

Air thick with smoke

CBC reporter Megan Thomas said from Timmins that Mayor Tom Laughren declared the state of emergency because of the smoke, which is extremely thick in the air.
Extra help arriving

Eighty firefighters and an incident management team from British Columbia were expected to arrive Thursday to help battle forest fires in northern Ontario.

Waterbombers from Newfoundland and Manitoba are already assisting in Ontario's firefighting efforts.

There are currently 45 active forest fires in Ontario, with 43 of them in the northeast region.

"When you drive down the main street and you look in your rearview mirror it's very ominous and it's also causing an air quality problem," she said. "People are being told to stay indoors if they can, or to go to malls or movie theatres, places where the air is filtered and air-conditioned."

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement late Thursday afternoon saying that the smoke plume is descending close to the ground and will do so for at least several hours, possibly well into Friday. The weather agency warned that future warnings may be required or extended.

The official forecast for Thursday night reads, "Clear. Widespread smoke."

Thomas said the Red Cross is set up to help and areas to the west of the city are under an evacuation order. The city itself is not.

The Ontario Provincial Police said officers will conduct patrols in the area to make sure property left behind is secure. People have been asked to stay off Crown land so no one gets in the way of the fire â€” or efforts to fight it.

Two major highways leading to Timmins are closed.

Wind causing problems

Wind is causing major problems, Thomas said. In addition to blowing smoke into the city, the wind forced water bombers to be called off earlier Thursday afternoon because the water would not have been effective in the breeze, she said.

Winds were blowing from the south at approximately 20 to 35 km/h late Thursday afternoon, and the ministry said it was possible they could shift to from the south-southwest, with gusts up to 40 or 50 km/h.

The Timmins fire is dwarfing one that's been threatening Kirkland Lake. That blaze, about 2,700 hectares and five to 10 kilometres away from the town, appears to be almost out, though dangerous hot spots continue to keep the town on high alert.

Mayor Bill Enouy said fires can flare up at any moment, and a fly-over with infrared cameras on Thursday morning showed many hot spots.

"It's like a forest that somebody painted black, so there's still lots of fuel out there for a fire if it stands up," he said.

Firefighters remain in place and while the winds are "terrible," they are blowing from the southwest, which doesn't pose an immediate threat to the town of about 9,000.

"If it starts coming from the northwest it becomes a bigger problem because it starts blowing the front towards the community," Enouy said. "We're at the mercy of the gods."

About 300 Kirkland Lake residents who live around lakes outside the town's urban area have already been evacuated from their homes. Some are staying with family or friends or in hotels.

Meanwhile, residents are being kept informed through local media including the town's website.

"The message is don't panic but be prepared," the mayor said.

Premier Dalton McGuinty spoke to firefighters and emergency workers in Kirkland Lake Thursday, thanking them for their continued service.

"Our north is beautiful, but it can also be dangerous. The spring forest fires that have threatened northern towns are a fresh reminder of that," McGuinty said in a statement. "But northerners are tough, resilient and determined â€” and I know they'll get through these challenges, too."

Falling power lines

Hydro crews are also at work in Kirkland Lake, as some major electrical power lines have fallen victim to the fire.

Hugh Crockett, a transmission superintendent for Hydro One, said that unlike other fires that have destroyed lines and equipment outright, this fire has left Hydro crews in a more precarious position.

â€œThe problem we have here is stuff is half-burnt, so some is in the air and some is not,â€ Crockett said. â€œItâ€™s a real safety challenge to get it out without getting anybody hurt because things can let go at any time.â€

Crockett said hydro crews have been able to reroute some of the power for the time being and the lights are still on in Kirkland Lake.

No power at mines

Operations at mines in the Kirkland Lake area have been affected by the fires. Kirkland Lake Gold hasn't had power at the site since Sunday and, as a result, production has stopped. Mark Tessier, the chief operating officer of the company, said he expects operations will be back up by the end of the month and, in the meantime, many workers are taking vacation.

"I mean, it's not a big deal. The gold's been down there for a billion years and I think it can wait a few more days," Tessier said. "We are using the downtime to the best of our ability and we'll be up and operating next Thursday hopefully."

AuRico Gold, which owns the Young-Davidson mine located about 70 kilometres west of Kirkland Lake, has also been affected.

The company said its power source has been interrupted and ore processing has been suspended. It also said the operations at the open pit have not been affected, as a separate power line is used there.
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Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources said:

Northeast Fire Region Restricted Fire Zone Order

Due to high to extreme fire hazard and increased forest fire activity, a Restricted Fire Zone Order will be in effect for the Northeast Fire Region, north of the French River from 0001 hours local daylight time on May 16, 2012 until such time as the order is revoked.

Ontario Forest Fires
Year | Fires | Hectares
2011 to date | 152 | 1,455
10 year avg. (mean) | 202 | 5,105
2012 to date | 366 | 41,443

Friday May 25 was another challenging day for forest fires in the Northeast Region. Existing fires continued to show active behaviour and several continued to spread. There were also 14 new fires confirmed, all of them in the Northeast Region. Currently, there are 46 active fires burning in the province.

Gusting winds fuelled the ongoing spread of fire Timmins 9. The blaze is now listed at 41,210 hectares. Winds from the west caused the fire to begin crossing Highway 144 on Friday afternoon. Waterbombers had to be pulled off the fire due to the winds and poor visibility. However, there was good news as the evacuation order for Kamiskotia was lifted on Friday evening. Three hundred people were allowed to return to their homes. All other evacuation orders remain in effect.

In Kirkland Lake, strong winds also fuelled the activity of Kirkland Lake 13. The fire is now listed at a size of 777 hectares. Bulldozers and heavy equipment worked on Friday to establish lines around the perimeter of the fire, however it did show some spread towards Highway 65.

Fire Kirkland Lake 8 was also active but did not add any growth. The fire has now been re-mapped at 2,635 hectares, down slightly from its previous size of 2,757. The evacuation orders relating to this fire remain in effect but will be reviewed on Saturday May 26. FireRanger crews are checking on structures near the fire on a daily basis.

In Wawa, the major fire Wawa 4 was declared â€œBeing Held.â€ The fire has not spread beyond its current size of 3,300 hectares. However in Hearst, fire Hearst 9 has now reached 970 hectares.

Fire arrivals will likely continue to be steady in the Northeast on Saturday due to continued dry fuel conditions but the weather outlook is becoming more favourable. Winds are easing and shifting to an easterly direction and cooler temperatures and increasing humidity are being forecasted. This will help decrease fire behaviour on existing fires and new starts.

On Sunday, a warm front will bring significant precipitation into the region. This system is expected to linger for several days, leaving most of the area of concern under cloud cover and periods of rain. These conditions will assist FireRangers with their fire suppression work.

Smoke from the Timmins and Kirkland Lake fires remains a concern. Shifting wind today will push the smoke to the south and the west. Smoke was also reported in the Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma region on Friday but this was from forest fires burning in Michiganâ€™s Upper Peninsula.

There are now considerable resources in the province to address the fire situation in the northeast. There are 102 personnel from British Columbia who will be deploying to the field today. Waterbombers from Newfoundland and Manitoba are also assisting in the province. In total, approximately 1,300 people are working on the provincial fire situation.

Aircraft resources currently include 15 CL-415 waterbombers, four Twin Otter medium waterbombers and 77 helicopters.

May 26
Northeast Region

The Restricted Fire Zone remains in effect. The use of open fires is restricted. There has been little precipitation in the region and everyone is asked to remain vigilant and use extreme caution when working and travelling in forest areas.

Fire behaviour was extreme yesterday due to the hot, dry, and extremely windy conditions in the Northeast Region. The westerly winds were driving the smoke from the large fires affecting communities and airports and restricting visibility.
Elderly persons and people affected by asthma or respiratory illnesses should take necessary precautions.

Winds have switched direction, blowing from the northeast and have calmed from the conditions we were experiencing earlier this week. Areas southwest of the larger fires in the province may be affected by smoke.

There were 14 new confirmed starts in the region yesterday.

MNR, EMO, OPP and communities are working together to ensure people are in safe places and to protect property, infrastructure and other values. MNR is mobilizing helicopters, water bombers, heavy equipments and ground crews to resource the fires.

Timmins 9 did cross Hwy 144 at the Cache and has spotted on the east side of Kenogamissi Lake.
Water bombers worked until dark and values protection is in place for residences within the area.
The fire has not crossed Hwy 101.
No evacuations have been declared today and the evacuation order for the residents of Kamiskotia was lifted by Timmins Mayor Laughren. Residents of the Kamiskotia area are allowed back to their homes. All other evacuation notices remain in place.
The City of Timmins has set up an Information Centre in the McIntyre Arena in Schumacher. It is open to the public to access current information.

Values protection continues on the fire by FireRanger crews, and over 500 sprinklers have been installed on values. Fire crews continue to arrive on this fire daily to assist with efforts. An MNR Incident Management Team is also on-site. The safety of the public and our crews is our top priority. The city of Timmins remains in a state of emergency.

Kirkland Lake 8 is currently 2635.0 hectares in size.
Throughout the day the 15 FireRanger crews continued to be supported by air attack including CL-415 water bombers, and helicopters with buckets.

The Goldthorpe Road and Goodfish Road areas remain evacuated. Values protection continues on residences located along Goldthorpe Road and on Goodfish Lake as well as some remote sites north and northwest of the fire area.
Crews are checking on these values daily.

Evacuations that were previously in place remain at this time. The municipality has made arrangements for evacuees to stay at the Kirkland Lake Royal Canadian Legion, while some evacuees are making arrangements with family or friends. The town of Kirkland Lake has been running radio ads with fire information and town evacuation updates.

Kirkland Lake 11 is currently 58 has in size. 7 FireRanger crews, as well as air attack responded to this fire.

Kirkland Lake 13 is currently 777 ha in size located between Elk Lake and Matachewan. People have been evacuated from Golden Eagle camp and relocated to the Elk Cabins, located on the Montreal River. Values protection has been completed on Golden Eagle Lake camp.
Strong winds contributed to the growth of the fire. Bulldozers, water bombers, helicopters and FireRanger crews continue to be assigned to the fire and continue to action the fire. An Incident Management Team has also been assigned to Kirkland Lake 13.

Cochrane 10 is 159 ha and has 10 crews committed to the fire. Crews continue to aggressively suppress the fire.

Hearst 9 is confirmed as 600 ha with on-going values protection.

All other fires in the district are being actioned by FireRanger crews and the support of Air Attack.

There are 46 active fires in the region with 41413.4 ha burned to date.

Northwest Region May 25, 2012

Cool humid days continue to help the NWR pick away at the number of active fires in the region. The Red Lake District called their fire near Pikagikum First nation out today, leaving the total number of active fires in the region to one, Kenora #36.

Kenora #36 has now switched its statusâ€™ from being â€˜Not Under Controlâ€™ to â€˜Being Heldâ€™. This is a due to a combination of the recent weather and the hard work of the fire crews. It is now one step closer to being extinguished.

With the wet weather expected to continue through the weekend, the Northwest region is continuing its support efforts for the eastern half of the province. Today 16 more FireRangers, 15 Overhead staff and 2 CL 415 Waterbombers were transferred over to the Northeastern Region. Bringing our total level of support up to over 200 FireRangers, 90 Overhead staff and over 30 Aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopters.
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Fires Consume Forests in Canada

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