Ontario could see relief from wildfire smoke as blazes continue across north
Northern Ontario is facing a severe wildfire season with nearly 200 active fires, forcing the evacuation of multiple communities. Provincial officials are coordinating emergency responses, though some First Nations leaders have criticized the speed and communication of the government's efforts.
Why it matters
The scale of the fires and the resulting evacuations underscore the increasing impact of climate-driven natural disasters on remote communities.
By Kathryn Mannie and Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
Nearly 200 wildfires are blazing across northern Ontario, officials say, already burning a larger swath of land than all of last year’s fires, quickly destroying at least one remote community and leaving some with little time to flee.
Premier Doug Ford and other provincial officials in an update Friday gave a sense of the massive and rapidly changing scope of the fires and the efforts to bring them under control.
More than 150 fire crews and over 80 water bombers and helicopters are battling the blazes, Ford said, but still there are about 190 wildfires across northern Ontario, with 81 of those fires out of control.
Information from the Ministry of Natural Resources shows that 20 new fires were confirmed Friday in the northeast region alone.
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