Two active wildfires remain in northeastern Ontario

As of Monday, there were still two active wildfires in northeastern Ontario with no new fires confirmed in the region over the weekend.

A photo of Ontario fire crews battling a wildfire burning three kilometres southeast of Cobalt, Ont. near the east shore of Kerr Lake on May 24, 2024. (Supplied/Richard J. Morrow)

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North Bay 5 has been reduced to 106 hectares from 134 at its height. The fire located three kilometres southeast of Cobalt, Ont. near the east shore of Kerr Lake is still burning. As of mid-afternoon on May 27 the fire is listed as being held.

Eight fire ranger crews are committed to the North Bay 5 fire, said the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services in an update on Sunday.

“Please remain clear of the area to ensure the safety of the public and emergency personnel,” said fire officials.

Fire information officer Amy Peltonen of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) told CTV News in an email on Monday that recent rainfall has reduced the fire behaviour of North Bay 5 allowing crews to continue to make good progress with fire suppression.

“Weather conditions (have) allowed for more accurate mapping with less smoke in the air to reduce visibility,” she said.

“We will continue to monitor fire behaviour, and any changes to its size or status will be updated on our interactive fire map.”

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Timmins 3 located at the southeast corner of Lower Opikinimika Lake is also still burning but is being held by firefighters and is currently listed as 10.7 hectares.

The fire hazard is low across most of the region, with pockets of moderate fire hazard north of Cochrane to James Bay, areas west of Sudbury and south of Algonquin Provincial Park.

Interactive fire 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.

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 Eric Taschner