Parry Sound 33 Fire Spreads, Forces Some Residents & Cottagers out of Killarney
Fire prompts fears main highway will be shut down with hot, dry and windy weather conditions into the long-weekend.
The Parry Sound 33 forest fire continues to rage on, growing to 10,130 hectares in size and forcing some residents and cottagers out of Killarney and possibly the French River area, too.
The fire is inching closer to the Trans Canada highway, prompting fears the main highway may get shut down this week. Fire crews are also working hard to keep the fire from a nearby CN Line
The 500 firefighters deployed in Northeast Ontario are battling 41 active forest fires (13 not yet under control) and face hot, dry and windy weather conditions heading into the long weekend.
914 wildfires reported so far in 2018, up substantially from 188 reported in 2017 and also above the 10-year average of 466.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry say sprinklers have been set up to protect homes, cottages and structures along the Pickerel and Key Rivers and the French River.
Evacuation Notices
The Municipality of Killarney issued an evacuation order for residents in the areas of Travers, Allen, Struthers, Kilpatrick, Bigwood (including Hartley Bay Road), a portion of Mowat, the Unsurveyed Area, 14 Mile Island and French River Provincial Park. Further, all water access as well as road access west of Hwy. 69 is not permitted for an undetermined length of time.
An evacuation alert has been issued for the Alban area, near the French River.
Travel restrictions in parts of Parry Sound and Sudbury districts
All travel and use of all waterways east and west of Hwy. 69 in Mowat, Mason, Bigwood, Allen, Struthers, Kilpatrick and Travers townships and all associated tributaries that access the river systems, including all access from Georgian Bay, and all islands on Georgian Bay within the French River Provincial Park boundaries, Dokis Island system, and Puddick Island and all islands north of Henvey Inlet 2, southern boundary from mainland due west to Potvin Point is prohibited unless authorized by travel permit issued by Parry Sound District or Sudbury District Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).
All road access west of Hwy. 69 in Bigwood, Allen, Struthers, Kilpatrick and Travers townships is prohibited and the unsurveyed lands from the French River to Nesbitt Creek including 14 Mile Island and French River Provincial Park and to the southern border of Henvey Inlet 2 Indian Reserve, excluding business and residences north of the French River directly adjacent to the west side of Hwy. 69.
Travel restrictions in parts of North Bay & Kirkland Lake
All travel and use of, Cooke Lake Road, Liskeard Lumber Road, Crane Lake Road, Indian Bay Road, Klock Lake Road, Roadhouse Tower Road, and Mountain Lake Road, as outlined in the identified area on the attached Implementation Order map within the EAO is prohibited unless authorized by a travel permit issued by the North Bay or Kirkland Lake Districts of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
All modes of travel/access into Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater, Obabika River, Makobe-Grays River, Solace and Sturgeon River Provincial Parks and all Crown lands as outlined in the identified area on the attached Implementation Order map within the EAO is prohibited unless authorized by a travel permit issued by the North Bay or Kirkland Lake Districts of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. All use and occupation of Crown Land or within 500 meters of the described closed roads in items 1, 2 & 3 above, within this area is prohibited.
