2 days ago
As wildfire evacuations continue in northwestern Ontario, lightning threatens the landscape
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Community members from Webequie First Nation in northwestern Ontario are continuing to be flown out as nearby wildfires show no signs of letting up.
The remote Ojibway community declared a state of emergency and initiated a phase 1 evacuation last Thursday due to Nipigon 5, a wildfire measuring more than 8,500 hectares.
The first evacuees were brought out on Monday, delayed by a shortage of aircraft due to competing demands in other communities impacted by wildfires, according to Webequie's Chief Cornelius Wabasse.
As of Wednesday, more than 370 evacuees had been brought to Barrie, about a one-hour drive north of Toronto.
"We're making progress, trying to get especially the vulnerable [community members] out, people that have respiratory issues and other medical conditions," Wabasse told CBC News on Wednesday.
At that point, the fire was moving away from the community, though Wabasse said the wind was bringing heavy smoke from out west.
Wabasse — identified as a community member prioritized for evacuation — is staying in Thunder Bay in order to be closer to his community to co-ordinate evacuation efforts.
A number of resources have been set up for evacuees in Barrie, he said, including "medical support, counselling support, all those mental health supports as well, too."
"I think they're doing a good job over there in Barrie, making sure that everybody is comfortable and that we don't overlook the well-being of those people that are there," Wabasse said.
On Wednesday, four more flights were scheduled out of Webequie, with more expected to take place Thursday.
Meanwhile, hundreds of evacuees from Deer Lake First Nation are staying in Toronto, while members of Wabaseemoong Independent Nations have been in Niagara Falls since mid-May.
A number of special air quality statements and warnings remain in effect across the region due to smoke pollution from both Ontario and Manitoba wildfires.
"Our officers have been assisting in Webequie First Nation this week where forest fires have forced the evacuation of the community. Our thoughts are with the people of this Webequie First Nation and other Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities across the province being threatened by Ontario wildfires," the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service posted on Facebook Wednesday.
"We would also like to take a moment to thank our NAPS officers who have stepped up during this time of crisis and provided their communities with the services they expect and deserve.
"We've dispatched additional officers to Webequie, who are now also helping to ensure community safety is maintained and that evacuated residents receive the help they need during this stressful time," the post says.
Fires 'gaining size very fast'
Chris Marchand, a fire information officer with Ontario's Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services who is based in Dryden, said the 2025 wildfire season can already be characterized as a busy year.
"We had a very early start in May and several weeks with rather minimal precipitation across the northwest," Marchand told CBC's Up North on Wednesday.
"One real concern is how receptive our landscape is becoming to fires caused by lightning — not only are our forest fuels extremely dry, but so is the ground. And then that really makes it easier for lightning fires to get started, for fires in general to burn deeper and require more effort and resources to extinguish."
Marchand said firefighters from British Columbia have been lending their support in the region, but one challenge is that "the fires that we're finding are gaining size very fast."
"In a lot of situations, air attack has been required with water bombers to really reduce the intensity of these fires when they're initially discovered, to allow crews to get in quickly and to make sure that they don't become larger problems," Marchand said.
Though there has been scattered rainfall over the past few days, the region remains dry, said Marchand, which is why it's important for people to continue obeying the rules of the restricted fire zone in place — namely, not lighting campfires, burn barrels or burn piles.
Drones have also become an issue since they can hinder aerial operations around wildfires, he added.
"The presence of a drone presents a danger to air crews and can result in the cancellation of an air attack mission that is usually being sent to protect lives or property — so please, no drones within nine kilometres of a wildland fire," said Marchand.
