Smokey haze in the air caused by fires burning in Canada and western states

Forest fires burning as far away as California, Oregon and the State of Washington are sending smoke our way and, closer to home, fires in Kenora and Red Lake Districts, Ontario, have added to the haze and can cause problems for people with asthma if the smoke descends to ground level.

On Monday, July 5, there were 62 active fires in Northwestern Canada. One of those fires in Red Lake had consumed almost 14,000 hectares by Monday morning. District 51 fire in Kenora had burned 22,000 hectares.

One hectare contains about 2.47 acers.

The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Natural Resources and Forestry is headquartered in Peterborough, Ontario, and is responsible for Ontario’s provincial parks, forests, fisheries, wildlife, mineral aggregates and Crown lands and waters which make up 87 percent of the Province.

This past Monday, the Ministry reported that fire danger was high-to-extreme in the Thunder Bay and Nipigon districts.

In Minnesota a Fuel and Fire Behavior Advisory issued July 1 warns that forest and grasslands are primed to burn because of record heat and not enough moisture. On July 5, temperatures in Grand Marais reached 95F on the shore, prime weather for wildfires.