Six new wildfires were confirmed Thursday evening in northwestern Ontario, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

The new fires bring the total number of active fires in the region to 44. However, this number is down from Wednesday evening, when 17 new fires were reported.

Most of the new fires are small and scattered across the Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, and Nipigon districts.

Almost all of them, except for one, are not under control, and several have received air support from water bombers.

Among the new starts are:

• Sioux Lookout Fire 42 is burning near Sutterby Lake, about 46 kilometres west of Cat Lake First Nation. The fire is approximately 20 hectares in size and received aerial suppression.
• Sioux Lookout Fire 43, burning near the Black Bear River, about 21 kilometres northwest of Bearskin Lake First Nation. It’s estimated at 150 hectares.
• Red Lake Fire 71, located at North Spirit Lake First Nation, is four hectares and also received an air attack.
• Red Lake Fire 72, Red Lake Fire 70, and Nipigon Fire 13 are each under one hectare in size and not under control.

As of the latest update from Ontario’s forest fire information map, there are about 15 active fires not under control, seven fires being held, six fires under control, and 16 fires being observed.

Fire hazard conditions remain high

The wildland fire hazard remains high to extreme across the western portion of the region, including the Kenora, Fort Frances, Dryden, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout fire management areas.

Conditions in the Thunder Bay and Nipigon districts range from low to high.

The ministry is encouraging the public to check the Interactive Fire Map for the latest conditions in their area.

Fires of concern

Red Lake Fire 12 remains the largest fire in the region at 195,670 hectares and is still not under control.

It is burning northeast of Sandy Lake, Deer Lake and Keewaywin First Nations. Fire behaviour remains low, but officials say it could increase over the next two days under current weather conditions.

There are 20 crews assigned to the fire, supported by eight helicopters. Crews continue to patrol the southern and eastern edges, working hotspots with pumps and hoses.

Some equipment is being demobilized in areas where suppression efforts have been successful. Values protection equipment has been fully removed from Sandy Lake First Nation.

Sioux Lookout Fire 18, near Cat Lake First Nation, is at 23,648 hectares and remains not under control, but fire behaviour continues to be low.

Staff are retrieving and transporting equipment as operations wind down.

Command of the fire, along with Sioux Lookout Fire 30 and the Round Lake Cluster, has been returned to the Sioux Lookout Fire Management Headquarters.

Officials continue to monitor conditions closely as hot, dry weather persists across parts of the region.