As fire crews with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry continue to battle two huge forest fires in the area, the MNRF is restricting access to certain roads and Crown lands near the fires.
Due to Kenora Fire 25, all travel, use and access of the following areas are prohibited:
- Richard Lake Road,
- East Hawk Lake Road,
- Willard Lake Roads,
- Gordon Lake Road including the Shrub Lake Road,
- McIntosh Road and all other branch roads south of the Canadian National Railway line (15U 456603 5536414), and
- all roads on the south and east side of the Jones Road/Hwy 671 beginning at the High Lake junction up to the Canadian National Railway/Jones Road intersection.
Highway 17 remains open.
Due to Kenora Fire 27, all travel, use and access of the following areas are prohibited:
- Sand Lake Road from the intersection of Hwy 596, east through to the English River Road, and all branch roads within
- English River Road beginning at unnamed road (1 kilometre north of Forgotten Lake), through to Lennan Road, including all roads within.
All use or occupation of Crown land on or within 500 metres of the described closed roads above is prohibited. No person shall enter those areas and all non-essential personnel in those identified areas must evacuate immediately, unless authorized by a travel permit issued by the MNRF.
Kenora Fire 25, about 34 kilometres east of Kenora, is now listed at about 2,000-hectares, and waterbombers are continuing to support ground crews.
Kenora Fire 27, about 52 kilometres north of the city, is listed at 2,600-hectares in size. Fire crews with the MNRF say they’re setting up sprinklers on structures in the area ahead of the fire.