Crews continue to battle a large forest fire in the Municipality of Trent Lakes.
The fire has consumed 14 hectares of land about 20 kilometres north of Point Pleasant near Udra Lake, about 45 kilometres north of Buckhorn.
Isabelle Chenard, communications officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, told CHEX News on Wednesday that the fire was first reported around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
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It’s believed the fire was caused by lightning, Chenard said.
An aerial fire suppression was launched using a CL415 waterbomber and a lead Bird Dog aircraft. The latter features a warning horn when it approaches lakes or rivers to refill with water.
Chenard said three, four-person ground crews were originally on the scene with two more crews to be added late Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s in a blowdown area which is an area where trees have been down in the past so it’s been a challenge for firefighters to access,” she said.
Chenard says the fire does not pose any risk to the public as there aren’t any structures in the vicinity.
She advises people to be aware of the waterbombers which are landing in nearby lakes. She also says residents should check with municipalities about burn bans given the long week of dry, hot weather.
As of Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m., the fire (known as Bancroft 9) was still listed as “not under control.”
The MNRF says by late Wednesday afternoon, there were 43 active forest fire across northeast Ontario — 19 of them not yet under control; 24 are either being held or under control or being observed.
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