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Northwest Forest Fire Update – July 28

Updated: July 28, 2026 at 6:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT)

CMOS Winnipeg. Latest Wildfire map for North America (July 28, 2026). Light orange dots are under control and the red ones are out of control.

There were 11 new wildland fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the evening of July 28.

  • Fort Frances 52 (FOR052) is located approximately half a kilometre east of Premier Lake Road, south of Durie Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is under control.
  • Fort Frances 53 (FOR053) is located In Quetico Provincial Park, between Draper Lake and Walter Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is being held.
  • Fort Frances 54 (FOR054) was located approximately 8 kilometres east of Highway 502, between Little Sawbill Lake and Big Sawbill Lake. The fire was called out at 0.1 hectares.
  • Thunder Bay 65 (THU065) waslocated north oh Highway 811 between Dog River Road and Rondeau Road. The fire was called out at 0.1 hectares.
  • Thunder Bay 66 (THU066) is located approximately 2 kilometres west of Highway 527, southwest of Swarbrick Lake. The 0.5-hectare fire is not under control.
  • Thunder Bay 67 (THU067) is located approximately 18.5 kilometres west of Highway 527, south of Pantagruel Creek Provincial Park. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
  • Dryden 50 (DRY050) and Dryden 51 (DRY051) are located south of Savant Lake, between Highway 599 and Barnard Lake. DRY050 is being held at 0.2 hectares. DRY051 was called out at 0.1 hectares.
  • Dryden 52 (DRY052) is located east of Sunday Lake, approximately 1.3 kilometres southeast of Richan. The 0.3-hectare fire is not under control.
  • Dryden 53 (DRY053) is located approximately 13 kilometres east of Dinorwic, north of Melgund Lake Road. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
  • Nipigon 86 (NIP086) is located approximately 13 kilometres west of Highway 585, near the west side of Frazer Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.

At the time of this update there are 122 active wildland fires in the Northwest Region. Of those fires, 28 are not under control, 5 are being held, 6 are under control 83 are being observed.

Fires of note

Thunder Bay 36 (THU036)

  • The fire is currently measuring 313,930 hectares and is not under control.
  • Ontario and Alberta crews are systematically addressing potential areas of concern using pumps and hose to extinguish any sources of heat.
  • Helicopter bucketing operations are supporting ground crews by delivering water to priority areas, helping to cool hot spots and reduce the potential for fire activity.
  • Heavy equipment operators are constructing fire guards to create gaps in forest fuels, helping to limit fire spread and support containment efforts.
  • Values protection efforts are ongoing.

Atikokan Cluster – Fort Frances 14 (FOR014), Fort Frances 15 (FOR015), Fort Frances 38 (FOR038)

  • High humidity, cool overnight temperatures and calm to absent winds overnight are allowing crews to make good progress as they work on fire perimeters.
  • FOR014 is currently measuring 51,806 hectares and remains not under control.
  • FireRanger crews are working to establish and consolidate hoselines along the fire perimeter and are being supported by heavy equipment in some locations along with helicopter bucketing support to reduce fire behaviour where needed.
  • Where hose lines have been established, crews are patrolling and working inward from the perimeter, reaching approximately 100 feet into the fire area to identify and extinguish hotspots
  • FOR015 is currently measuring 42,279 hectares and remains not under control.
  • FireRanger Crews continue to establish and consolidate hose line on the north and northwest portions of the fire and working inward to approximately 100 feet from the perimeter.
  • Helicopter bucketing is being used strategically to cool areas with increased fire behaviour, allowing crews to access areas where fire is persisting.
  • FOR038, north of Crystal Lake, is under control at 44.2 hectares in size.
  • One Firefighter crew is working on hot spots identified through infrared scanning and supporting demobilization.

Sioux Lookout 72 – Cat Lake First Nation

  • The fire is currently measuring 23,597 hectares and is not under control.
  • Fire Ranger crews are making good progress on suppression efforts supported by bucketing helicopters targeting hotspots.
  • Hydro One has replaced burnt poles along the Cat Lake hydro line and power has been restored.

Brightsand Cluster – Dryden 34 (DRY034), Dryden 35 (DRY035), Thunder Bay 54 (THU054), and Thunder Bay 56 (THU056)

  • Ontario and Alberta crews are focussed on both suppression and values protection efforts.
  • DRY034 is currently measuring 44,954 hectares and remains not under control.
  • DRY035 is currently measuring 22,461 hectares and remains not under control.
  • Crews are working to establish hose lines alongside heavy equipment operators constructing fire guards along portions of DRY035.
  • THU054 is currently measuring 7,389 hectares and remains not under control.
  • THU056 is currently measuring 7,947 hectares and remains not under control.
  • Firefighting crews and bucketing helicopters are targeting hotspots while heavy equipment operators construct fire guards along portions of THU056.

Dryden 36 – Upper and Lower Moosehide Lakes

  • The fire has been more accurately remapped to 1,707 hectares and remains not under control.
  • Ontario FireRangers are working alongside Type-2 and Alberta crews, bucketing helicopters and heavy equipment operators in suppression operations.
  • Low fire behaviour has observed in recent days under favourable weather conditions.

Highway 599 Cluster – Sioux Lookout 84 (SLK084), Sioux Lookout 86 (SLK086), Sioux Lookout 89 (SLK089)

  • An Alberta Wildfire Incident Management Team has assumed command of the cluster of fires.
  • SLK084 is currently measuring 4,796.6 hectares and remains not under control.
  • SLK086 is currently measuring 5,644 hectares and remains not under control.
  • SLK089 is currently measuring 7,190.1 hectares and remains not under control.
  • There has been no fire recent growth observed on cluster of fires and minimal behaviour.
  • Ontario and Alberta crews continue to patrol for hotspots, using handtools, pumps and hose to extinguish remaining sources of heat.
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