Ontario Wildfires Burn 260,000 Hectares, Forcing 10 Communities to Evacuate
Updated
Updated · Toronto Star · Jul 19
Ontario Wildfires Burn 260,000 Hectares, Forcing 10 Communities to Evacuate
3 articles · Updated · Toronto Star · Jul 19
Summary
191 active fires were burning across Ontario by Friday morning, after fast-moving blazes forced mass evacuations in at least 10 northern communities and left at least four more under warnings.
Nearly 260,000 hectares have burned, Premier Doug Ford said, with new evacuation orders issued Friday around Baril, Bedivere and Windigoostigwan lakes and Lac des Mille Lacs near Thunder Bay.
About 350 people from Whitesand First Nation, Armstrong and nearby McKenzie Lake were sheltering in a Thunder Bay hotel, underscoring how the city has become a regional hub for evacuees.
More than 150 firefighters, including crews from Alberta and Yukon, were operating in the region, while the Canadian Armed Forces stood by and GlobalMedic delivered fire-skid equipment after a 14-hour drive.
Smoke from northwestern Ontario reached dangerous levels in Toronto earlier this week and put more than 100 million people in Canada and the U.S. under pollution advisories.
As wildfires rage and smoke crosses borders, why hasn't Ontario activated its mutual aid agreement with the United States?
With billions unspent in Ontario's contingency fund, why do firefighters face critical resource shortages amid devastating wildfires?
After modernizing its emergency laws, why is Ontario's system failing its most vulnerable northern First Nations communities?
Over 2.3 Million Hectares Burned: The 2026 Northwestern Ontario Wildfire Crisis and Its Cross-Border Impact
Overview
As of July 15, 2026, Northwestern Ontario is facing a severe wildfire crisis, with vast plumes of smoke spreading far beyond the region. Satellite imagery shows thick smoke over areas like Collins First Nation, while cities such as Toronto and London experienced dense haze and yellow skies. The smoke has traveled across borders, reaching as far as the Michigan-Indiana border, prompting air quality warnings in the United States. These wildfires have caused significant disruption, damaging local infrastructure and affecting communities, while the widespread smoke poses serious health risks for people both near and far from the fire zones.