The threat of a forest fire and smoke from Quebec fires has a community planning for an evacuation.
In the northeast region, there are 31 active wildfires. Of those, 21 are not under control, five are being held, one is being observed and four are under control, according to Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES).
Due to a large number of fires in Quebec and eastern Ontario, AFFES says there are heavy smoke conditions in the northeast region.
"Smoke drift is travelling as far as north of Timmins, down through Sudbury and past Parry Sound," said AFFES in its June 6 update.
Mattagami First Nation is planning to evacuate its elderly and most vulnerable community members and residents starting tomorrow morning (Thursday, June 8), according to a community statement issued last night. People being evacuated are heading to Toronto.
The notice says the evacuation is due to the poor air quality from the Quebec fires. It also says that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is waterbombing the nearby Timmins 7 fire, which is located west of the community, today (June 7).
The emergency management team is encouraging all community members and residents, especially those without a vehicle, to evacuate with the most vulnerable on Thursday. People can bring their pets that are under 50 pounds and in a carrier. The pets will ride on a separate bus but the hotel is pet-friendly.
"Anyone who wants to drive their own vehicle will have an option of driving as far as Orillia, Ont., and parking at a secured OPP parking lot. You will then be able to bus the remainder of the way to Toronto," reads the notice.
Mattagami First Nation was put on standby for a possible evacuation on Monday because of the Timmins 7 fire located between Highway 101 and Highway 144. As of last night, the fire was listed as not under control at 120 hectares. AFFES is carefully monitoring the situation.
There are 10 active fires not under control in the area in the Chapleau, Timmins, Cochrane and Hearst districts.
- Chapleau 3 has grown to 700 hectares and is about 53 kilometres south of Highway 101 and 67 kilometres east of Highway 129. AFFES says values protection and assessment is ongoing and the fire is being carefully monitored.
- Chapleau 6 is 209 hectares and is located 48 kilometres northwest of Chapleau and 15.7 kilometres west of the southern point of Missinaibi Provincial Park.
- Chapleau 8 is 0.2 hecatares in size and not under control.
- Cochrane 3 is 80 hectares and not under control. It is located between Cochrane and Iroquois Falls.
- Cochrane 5 is five hectares.
- Cochrane 6 is 1,239 hectares. It is located about 11.6 kilometres west of the northern end of Lake Abitibi and 31.6 kilometres northeast of Iroquois Falls.
- Cochrane 7 has grown to 4,256 hectares and is located about 16.8 kilometres northeast of the northeastern end of Lake Abitibi and 11.2 kilometres west of the Quebec border.
- Cochrane 8 east of Cochrane off of Highway 652 is 35 hectares.
- Hearst 5 is 90 hectares and located 36 kilometres south of Highway 11 and just north of Macvicar Creek
- Timmins 7 is 120 hectares. It's located between Highway 101 and Highway 144.
Timmins 6, which was in the Malette Road area, is now listed as being out. Timmins 8 is 0.8 hectares and listed this morning as being under control. It's located two kilometres west of the Akonesi Chain of Lakes Complex and 0.8 kilometres south of Brady Lake.
For other active fires, Hearst 4 is being held at 12 hectares, Cochrane 1 is 45 hectares and being observed, Cochrane 2 is 0.4 hectares and under control, and Cochrane 9 is being held at five hectares.
Travel Restrictions
There are restrictions in place where there are active fires and fire suppression happening for the Cochrane 6 and 7 fires. Under this new implementation order, travel is prohibited in the following areas unless you have a travel permit issued by the Hearst-Cochrane-Kapuskasing District Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry office:
- Translimit Road eastwards beginning where it intersects with the Northwest Industrial Road
- Translimit Road west of the Ontario-Quebec border
- Northwest Industrial Road north of the Abitibi bridge
A map of the restricted areas is available here.
The travel restrictions put in on June 3 remain in place. It prohibits travel in the following areas:
- Reaume Esker Road beginning where it intersects with Town Dump Road
- Potter Road West of the TC Energy Plant
- Connaught-Evelyn Road North of the Pallet Lake access point
People requiring travel permits should contact the district MNRF office at 705-272-7178 or email [email protected]. A map of the restricted areas is available here.
There are also restrictions in the Chapleau-Wawa District under an order issued on May 31. It prohibits travel in these areas:
- 400 south of where Road 400 intersects the White River Forest Unit boundary
- Road 300 south of the intersection of Road 300 and Road 350
- Road 500 west of the intersection of Road 500 and Road 550
- Road 226 west of the intersection of Road 226 and Highway 631
- “Mink Lake East" Road north of intersection of "Mink Lake East" Road and Highway 631
- "Mink Lake Boat Launch" Road north of intersection of "Mink Lake Boat Launch" Road and Highway 63
- Operational Road 631-02 north of intersection of Road 631-02 and Highway 631
- Operational Road 631-01 (aka. Tower Road) north of intersection of Road 631-01 and Highway 631
- Road 100 north of intersection of Road 100 and the Picnic Lake Road
- North Reagan Road north of intersection of North Reagan Road and Road 50
- Road 10 east of intersection of Road 10 and Highway 17
- Road 99 east of intersection of Road 99 and Highway 17
- Operational Road 631-05 east of intersection of operational Road 631-05 and Highway 631
A map of the restricted areas is available here. For a travel permit in these areas, contact the Chapleau-Wawa District Office at 705-856-2396.
The northeast region continues to be a restricted fire zone and no open-air burning is allowed.
