Toronto: Wildfires ripped trough northwestern Ontario threatening communities even as the government swung in to evacuate those in danger and control the fires.
“Emergency response personnel are working closely with the Ontario Provincial Police, community leaders, and other agencies to fight the fires in Northwestern Ontario and ensure people can evacuate safely. Multiple First Nation communities across the region are threatened with risks to public health and wellness,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Indigenous Affairs.
“On behalf of the Province, I want to thank neighbouring communities who have volunteered to support those affected. While local authorities will lead and coordinate evacuations of people, we are on the front-line fighting the fire.
“I appreciate the tireless efforts of first responders and leadership in the affected Indigenous communities, and want to thank them for working to protect these communities.
Monitoring Situation
We will continue to monitor the situation, engage our municipal partners and provide updates as they become available. We will do everything we can to protect residents, visitors and property. The safety and well-being of those in the affected areas is the priority as we respond to this emergency,” he added.
Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General, said: “This year is proving to be a challenging one for forest fires in Northern Ontario. There are currently numerous active fires in the northern part of our province and several of them are threatening First Nation communities.”
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is leading fire fighting efforts and Ontario’s emergency management personnel are working closely with the Ontario Provincial Police, community leaders, provincial ministries, the federal government and other agencies to ensure the health and safety of those affected.
Affected Communities
The First Nation communities of Keewaywin and Pikangikum have each declared an emergency due to the threat of smoke in their communities. All residents of the Keewaywin First Nation have been evacuated as a precautionary measure and are being hosted in Sioux Lookout and Timmins. The evacuation of vulnerable individuals in Pikangikum First Nation to Kapuskasing and Hearst is currently underway.
“Several other communities in Northern Ontario could be impacted over the coming days and weeks. There is an urgent need for host communities to provide a safe haven for evacuees during this difficult time. In partnership with our provincial, First Nations, federal and NGO partners, my ministry is coordinating a contingency plan should we need to proceed with a large-scale evacuation,” said Sylvia.
“Yesterday, I began reaching out to mayors across the province to ask that their communities host evacuees. We are working with municipalities to find sufficient space to safely house those in need over the coming days and weeks.
“I want to thank all of those engaged in responding to the fires and in ensuring the health and wellbeing of those in affected communities. In addition to those bravely fighting the fires directly on the frontlines, we also recognize those municipal partners who are stepping forward to help in this hour of need.
“Ensuring the safety of those affected by the fires is our government’s top priority,” she added.