Wawa-news.com Local and Regional News
Updated: July 21, 2026 at 7:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT)
There were 12 new wildland fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the evening of July 21.
- Fort Frances 45 (FOR045) is located on an island, on Bartley Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is being observed.
- Dryden 44 (DRY044) is located approximately 17 kilometers west of highway 599 and southeast of Press Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
- Dryden 45 (DRY045) is located at the northeast end of Rice Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
- Thunder Bay 61 (THU061) is located approximately 1.5 kilometers east of Wawang Lake and northwest of Little Harry Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
- Nipigon 76 (NIP076) is located near Jobes Lake and approximately 27 kilometers southeast of Fort Hope. The 150-hectare fire is not under control.
- Nipigon 77 (NIP077) and Nipigon 78 (NIP078) are located in the far north approximately 16 kilometers north of Webequie. Nipigon 77 (NIP077) is 70 hectares and is not under control, Nipigon 78 (NIP078) is 35 hectares and not under control.
- Nipigon 79 (NIP079) is located in the far north approximately 81 kilometers northeast of Webequie. The 5-hectare fire is not under control.
- Nipigon 80 (NIP080) and Nipigon 81 (NIP081) are located approximately 111 kilometers east of Webequie. Nipigon 80 (NIP080) is 10 hectares and is not under control, Nipigon 81 (NIP081) is 80 hectares and not under control.
- Nipigon 82 (NIP082) is located approximately 12 kilometers northwest of Missisa Lake. The 8-hectare fire is not under control.
- Sioux Lookout 103 (SLK103) is located on an island, on Wapesi Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
At the time of this update there are 146 active wildland fires in the Northwest Region. Of those fires, 53 are not under control, 5 are being held, 7 are under control 81 are being observed.
To access the current forest fire danger rating in your area visit our interactive fire map.
Fires of note
Thunder Bay 36 (THU036)
- The fire is currently measuring 318,812.7 hectares and is not under control.
- FireRanger crews, helicopters and heavy equipment operators are assigned to suppression efforts.
- Recent precipitation over the last several days has helped to reduce fire behaviour, allowing for crews to make good progress on the fire line.
Atikokan Cluster – Fort Frances 14 (FOR014), Fort Frances 15 (FOR015), Fort Frances 38 (FOR038)
- FOR014 is sized at 51,806 hectares and is not under control.
- Firefighting crews from Ontario and Alberta are assigned to the cluster of fires, supported by bucketing helicopters targeting hotspots.
- FOR015 has been remapped to a smaller, more accurate size of 41,830.2 hectares. The fire is not under control.
- There has been no growth on either fire perimeter in the direction of major travel corridors
- FOR038, north of Crystal Lake, is now under control at 44.2 hectares in size.
- Favourable weather conditions have helped to reduce fire behaviour, allowing for crews to make good progress on the fire line.
- The fire areas saw localized rain fall in various amounts throughout the day on July 20 and overnight July 21.
Sioux Lookout 72 – Cat Lake First Nation
- Sioux Lookout 72 was among the fires that exhibited significant growth on July 13 and 14.
- The fire is currently measuring 23,597 hectares and is not under control.
- FireRanger crews are making good progress on suppression efforts supported by bucketing helicopters targeting hotspots.
- Values protection is up and running on the community and cabins in close proximity to the fire.
- Hydro One has replaced burnt poles along the Cat Lake hydro line and will be energizing the line today.
Brightsand Cluster – Dryden 34 (DRY034), Dryden 35 (DRY035), Thunder Bay 54 (THU054), and Thunder Bay 56 (THU056)
- Precipitation received throughout the fire area has reduced fire behaviour.
- Dryden 34 (DRY034) is mapped at 44, 954 hectares and remains not under control.
- Dryden 35 (DRY035) is mapped at 22, 461 hectares and remains not under control.
- Thunder Bay 54 (THU054) is mapped at 7,859 hectares and remains not under control.
- Thunder Bay 56 (THU56) is mapped at 7,947 hectares and remains not under control.
This is a media release by the organization. If you would like to send Wawa-news.com a media release to be published, send it to Brenda Stockton, Editor/Publisher, [email protected]
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