Air quality warnings, burn bans in place as wildfires expand across northwestern Ontario

Sarah Law · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 06, 2025 2:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 6

As wildfire fume from northwestern Ontario and Manitoba pervades confederate parts of the province, the region's wildfires proceed to grow.

The area's biggest wildfire is Red Lake 12, which is much than 66,000 hectares ample and not yet nether control.

The occurrence prompted the evacuation of Deer Lake First Nation past week, sending hundreds of assemblage members to Toronto. 

"Crews proceed to enactment hoselines connected the flanks of the occurrence closest to the assemblage and support sprinkler setups connected buildings and infrastructure," Ontario Forest Fires said successful its latest update online Thursday night.

Meanwhile, provincial crews are tracking 5 different fires of enactment successful the region:

• Kenora 20, which is much than 36,000 hectares ample and not nether control; the occurrence triggered evacuation orders for Ingolf and Wabaseemoong Independent Nations successful mid-May, sending evacuees from the First Nation to Niagara Falls.
• Nipigon 5, which is much than 8,800 hectares ample and not nether control; the occurrence prompted the evacuation of Webequie First Nation members this week to Barrie.
• Kenora 32, which is located wrong Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, is not under control, astatine much than 7,700 hectares large. 
• Kenora 14, which is nether power astatine implicit 1,600 hectares large. 
• Kenora 34, which is being held astatine 18 hectares large.

Chris Marchand, occurrence accusation serviceman with Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, said the forecast includes the anticipation of "some meaningful, wide rainfall."

"We're truly hoping to spot immoderate simplification successful occurrence behaviour arsenic a effect of that," Marchand said Friday afternoon. "That's astir apt going to beryllium a somewhat-temporary reprieve, but it is decidedly anticipated, and we anticipation it arrives without a batch of lightning associated with it."

Much of northwestern Ontario remains nether a restricted occurrence zone, archetypal issued successful mid-May and past expanded astatine the extremity of the month.

"No unfastened aerial burning, including campfires, is permitted wrong the boundaries of a restricted occurrence zone. Portable state oregon propane stoves whitethorn beryllium utilized for cooking and warmth but indispensable beryllium handled with utmost caution. All burning permits are suspended," Ontario Forest Fires says connected its website.

Other restrictions successful spot see question bans, usage of waterways, and NOTAMS (notice to airmen) astir constricted drone usage permitted successful the areas of Red Lake 12 and Nipigon 5.

The wildland occurrence hazard remains precocious to utmost crossed the region. As of Thursday night, determination were 18 progressive fires being tracked, astatine assorted stages of control.

Marchand said the ongoing adust conditions person allowed fires to "dig deeper into the ungraded which requires much clip and resources to extinguish."

"That's benignant of an ongoing interest successful presumption of however receptive we are to new fires owed to lightning."

Dozens of aerial prime warnings, statements successful effect

As of Friday afternoon, respective aerial prime warnings were successful effect successful the region, for areas including:

• Big Trout Lake — Kasabonika.
• Ear Falls — Perrault Falls — Western Lac Seul.
• Fort Hope — Lansdowne House — Ogoki.
• Kenora — Grassy Narrows — Whitedog.
• Pickle Lake — Cat Lake.
• Pikangikum — Poplar Hill — MacDowell.
• Red Lake — Woodland Caribou Park.
• Sachigo Lake — Bearskin Lake.
• Sandy Lake — Weagamow Lake — Deer Lake.
• Sioux Narrows — Nestor Falls — Morson.
• Summer Beaver — Wunnummin Lake — Kingfisher Lake.
• Webequie.

"Wildfire fume is expected to displacement further northbound contiguous arsenic winds go southwesterly. Wildfire fume whitethorn stay successful spot for the adjacent respective days for galore areas," Environment and Climate Change Canada said successful Friday's warnings online.

"People much apt to beryllium impacted by wildfire smoke, including radical aged 65 and older, large people, infants and young children, radical with an existing unwellness oregon chronic wellness condition, and radical who enactment outdoors, should debar strenuous activities outdoors and question aesculapian attraction if experiencing symptoms."

Common symptoms see eye, chemoreceptor and pharynx irritation, headaches oregon a mild cough.

People are urged to support their windows and doors closed arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, and to deterioration respirator-type masks if they are spending clip outdoors.

"Protect your indoor aerial from wildfire smoke. Actions tin see utilizing a clean, bully prime aerial filter successful your ventilation strategy and/or a certified portable aerial cleaner that tin filter good particles," Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

Dozens of communities crossed the state stay nether little terrible aerial prime statements. In northwestern Ontario, these include: 

• Armstrong — Auden — Wabakimi Park.
• Atikokan — Shebandowan — Quetico Park.
• Beardmore — Jellicoe — Macdiarmid.
• City of Thunder Bay.
• Cloud Bay — Dorion.
• Dryden — Vermilion Bay.
• Fort Frances — Emo — Rainy River.
• Geraldton — Longlac — Caramat.
• Gull Bay — Black Sturgeon Lake.
• Ignace — English River.
• Kakabeka Falls — Whitefish Lake — Arrow Lake.
• Manitouwadge — Hornepayne.
• Marathon — Schreiber.
• Nakina — Aroland — Pagwa.
• Nipigon — Rossport.
• Savant Lake — Sturgeon Lake.
• Seine River Village — Mine Centre.
• Sioux Lookout — Eastern Lac Seul.
• Upsala — Raith.
• White River — Dubreuilville.

More details astir the impacts of wildfire fume connected people's wellness tin beryllium recovered connected the Government of Canada's website. 

The latest accusation astir wildfire enactment successful Ontario tin beryllium recovered connected the province's interactive occurrence map.