With approximately half of all wildland fires caused by humans, the province is reminding everyone to take some safety precautions with the annual wildfire season getting underway April 1.
Many municipalities, such as the City of Kawartha Lakes, have annual mandatory burn bans for the month of April.
Officials asked everyone to:
- Before starting an outdoor fire, check the interactive map at ontario.ca/forestfires and ensure you are aware of the fire hazard and restrictions in place in your area.
- Follow Ontario’s outdoor burning regulations, including igniting fires no sooner than two hours before sunset and extinguishing them no later than two hours after sunrise.
- Ensure campfires do not get too big and are fully extinguished at the end of the evening or prior to leaving the site. Have tools and water on hand to control outdoor fires.
Wildfire crews ready
The province is ready to respond, having filled 100 additional jobs to support the 2025 fire season, officials stated in a March 27 release. The province announced $64 million for the program near the end of the 2024 season. It included funding for forest fire suppression equipment and technology, such as fuel systems, trucks, and emergency management software.
“We are ready to protect people, communities and properties across Ontario from wildland fires,” Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris stated. “When wildland fires hit, our brave and dedicated FireRangers, pilots and support staff are prepared to battle these fires and protect Ontarians.”
Last year, more than 470 wildfires burned nearly 90,000 hectares of forests. In 2023, more than 700 fires burned 441,000 hectares — nearly thrice the 10-year average.
To learn more about how to prepare your community or property to reduce the risk or impact of a wildland fire please visit how to prevent forest fires and ontario.ca/firesmart.
Leave A Comment