Kenora firefighters ready to assist as wildfires continue to affect parts of northwestern Ontario

Desmond Brown · CBC News

· Posted: May 15, 2025 6:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

As parts of northwestern Ontario proceed to beryllium impacted by wildfires, the occurrence main for the City of Kenora is assuring radical that nary effort volition beryllium spared to support them safe.

"We're successful bully hands. We're fortunate capable successful the northbound that we person resources adjacent by with the MNR [Ministry of Natural Resources] and the state of Ontario," Gord Howard told CBC News Thursday afternoon.

"They person investigation and information and antithetic metrics to marque decisions connected hazard areas and evacuations and those types of things," Howard said. 

"So, I would say, radical tin remainder casual knowing that there's a batch of radical moving precise hard to marque definite that residents crossed the northwest are harmless and crossed the state are safe," helium added.

Howard said, portion his portion is not actively engaged successful warring the wildfires, they are successful changeless connection with each the agencies astatine play and are acceptable to leap into enactment if  needed.

Howard is reminding radical to perceive to the accusation that comes from the metropolis arsenic good arsenic the Ministry of Natural Resources and the province, and not to trust connected "less reputable sources."

13 progressive wildfires successful the northwest region

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, determination are presently 13 progressive wildfires successful the northwest portion successful assorted stages of control. Of those fires, 2 are nether control, 3 are being held, 1 is being observed and 7 are not nether control. Four fires person been enactment retired implicit the past 24 hours. As of 3 p.m. CT connected Thursday, determination has been 1 caller occurrence confirmed successful the northwest region, the ministry said.

Earlier connected Thursday, the MNR  gave announcement that it volition state a restricted occurrence portion effectual Friday astatine 12:01 a.m. until further announcement for a information of the Northwest Region (Zones 2, 3, 6, 7, 8).

The implicit occurrence prohibition includes areas betwixt the U.S. and Manitoba borders to Atikokan, and northbound to Pickle Lake.

The announcement said nary unfastened aerial burning, including campfires, is permitted wrong the boundaries of a Restricted Fire 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.

The wood occurrence concern began to escalate successful northwestern Ontario past week, arsenic overmuch of the portion experienced dry and blistery conditions.

The upwind forecast has astir 15 to 20 mm of rainfall expected crossed parts of the portion implicit the adjacent 2 days. A occurrence authoritative said if the rainfall materializes, it volition assistance mean the utmost occurrence behaviour successful the region. 

Evacuee disquieted astir dogs, idiosyncratic effects near behind

Audrey Mandamin was among the assemblage members of the Wabaseemoong First Nation who had to permission their homes aft the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry established an evacuation bid and question entree restrictions to areas adjacent the Kenora 20 and Kenora 14 fires connected Tuesday. 

She and her lad enactment immoderate essentials unneurotic and near arsenic soon arsenic they could, Mandamin said, but she was incapable to instrumentality her dogs along. 

"I'm conscionable disquieted astir my dogs [three German Shepherds] that are astatine location close now. We couldn't bring them successful due to the fact that they get carsick truly atrocious and we had to permission them astatine home," Mandamin told CBC Thunder Bay.  

She said determination are a fewer radical successful the assemblage who are feeding and giving the dogs water, but "just knowing that they're astatine home, [while] the occurrence is conscionable truthful adjacent to the reserve [is troubling]."

Mandamin, who said this is her 3rd clip being evacuated due to the fact that of wood fires, said she's besides disquieted astir immoderate of the items she's had to permission behind, similar pictures of her "children who had passed before."

"Some of my medicine is astatine location and I'm conscionable getting by with what I have, but I'm gladsome that I'm successful Kenora, I person household successful Kenora," she said.

'Some moisture successful the air'

Trudy Kidd, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said there's presently "some moisture successful the air" with showers expected Thursday and Friday.

"Showers contiguous could bring amounts of up to 30 mm for areas that get deed by a thunderstorm [and] showers are expected overnight arsenic well," Kidd told CBC News. 

"Tomorrow is going to beryllium different bedewed day, which is bully quality for wood fires. Tomorrow we could beryllium seeing areas getting up to 35 mm again and past … possibly lasting a small longer."

Kidd noted that portion it's been precise lukewarm successful the northwest, temperatures volition "diminish to much seasonal temperatures by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow we've got a precocious of 16 [C] and past it truly goes down for Saturday. We've got winds from the northbound bringing successful that cooler aerial and we stay astatine oregon beneath seasonal for beauteous overmuch the remainder of the month, springiness oregon take," Kidd said.