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NW Forest Fire Region Update – August 12

Updated: August 12, 2026 at 6:25 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT)

There were 4 new wildland fires confirmed in the Northwest Region by the evening of August 12.

  • Thunder Bay 81 (THU081) was located between Baril Lake and Cresent Lake. The fire was called out at 0.1 hectares.
  • Thunder Bay 82 (THU082) is located near the northwest side of Greenwich Lake, approximately 16 kilometres east of Highway 527. The 0.1-hectare fire is under control.
  • Thunder Bay 83 (THU083) is located north of Kitchen Road, approximately 6 kilometres southeast of Ruffo Lake. The 0.1-hectare fire is not under control.
  • Dryden 63 (DRY063) is located approximately 5 kilometres northwest of Amesdale. The 0.2-hectare fire is under control.

At the time of this update there are 108 active wildland fires in the Northwest Region. Of those fires, 10 are not under control, 6 are being held, 12 are under control 80 are being observed.

Fires of note

The Rinker Lake Complex – Thunder Bay 36 (THU036), Dryden 34 (DRY034), Dryden 35 (DRY035)

  • There is a total of 29 wildland firefighting crews from Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba, heavy equipment operators, pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, overhead staff from Ontario and Québec, and an Incident Management team assigned to the Rinker Lake Complex. There are 14 helicopters currently assigned to this incident.
  • Today, transfer of command of the Rinker Lake Complex took place between two Ontario Incident Management Teams.
  • Crews continue working in areas identified by thermal imaging scans and are making good progress clearing identified hotspot areas.
  • Firefighting crews are patrolling for and extinguishing hotspots, consolidating hoselines, installing and maintaining values protection equipment and constructing helipads to allow for mobilization of equipment and gain access to more fire area.
  • Heavy equipment operators are continuing to construct fire guards on portions of the THU036 and DRY035 perimeters.
  • Bucketing helicopter operations are ongoing where required.
  • Values protection systems are being monitored and maintained.
  • THU036 is currently measuring 301,240 hectares and remains not under control.
  • DRY034 is currently measuring 45,800 hectares and remains not under control.
  • DRY035 is currently measuring 31, 478 hectares and remains not under control.

Atikokan Cluster – Fort Frances 13 (FOR013), Fort Frances 14 (FOR014), Fort Frances 15 (FOR015)

  • The Implementation Order restricting road and lake access in the FOR014 fire area was lifted today at 9 a.m. Use of roads and lakes in this area is available.
  • Using infrared scan data, firefighting crews are making progress on hot spot targets near the perimeters and in internal areas of the fire near structures.
  • Three crews are demobilizing hoselines and recycling fire fighting equipment at various locations across Atikokan Cluster.
  • A total of 9 helicopters and 1 fixed-wing aircraft are assigned to the Atikokan Cluster, supporting fire operations with crew and equipment movements and bucketing.
  • Low fire behaviour has been observed on all 3 fires.
  • A total of 49 firefighters are working on various assignments across FOR014, and 8 firefighters are assigned to FOR015.
  • FOR013 is currently measuring 25,279 hectares and remains not under control.
  • FOR014 is currently measuring 51,768 hectares and remains not under control.
  • FOR015 is currently measuring 42,273 hectares and remains not under control.
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