Northeastern Ontario municipalities lift their fire bans, following the province's lead
CBC
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has lifted its restricted fire zone in northeastern Ontario, and municipalities in the region have followed suit by ending their fire bans.
"Lifting the RFZ [restricted fire zone] does not mean we can let our guard down when it comes to preventing human-caused fires. We all need to remain vigilant and keep safety top of mind when having outdoor fires," the ministry said in a press statement.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said it looks at the number of wildfires burning in the province, along with the resources it has available to fight those fires when considering a fire ban.
The ministry lifted the restricted fire zone at 4 p.m. on July 11. The City of Greater Sudbury followed the province's lead by lifting its municipal fire ban at midnight.
Greg Lawrence, the city's acting deputy fire chief, said he got a call from the province during a city council meeting on Tuesday that it would lift its restricted fire zone.
It was at that time he advised the city to do the same.
"The last thing we want to do is lift our fire ban and then they still have theirs in effect, because then there's a lot of confusion amongst our community members in terms of what can I do now?" Lawrence told CBC News.
Lawrence said he plans to enjoy a campfire over the weekend, and recommended people who wish to do the same, do so safely.
"It is still rather dry… so just be very cognizant of when you're lighting a fire that it's contained, that you have a water supply available nearby to put out anything, any stray embers, because we don't want our MNR [Ministry of Natural Resources] partners busy fighting new fires within our city limits," he said.
The cities of North Bay, Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie have also lifted their fire bans.
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