Restricted fire zone rescinded 

Tim Brody - Editor

The Restricted Fire Zone (RFZ) previously in place for Zones 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 was revoked Friday, June 13 at 12:01 a.m. CDT.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources would like to thank Ontarians and visitors for doing their part to help prevent wildland fires and keep communities safe. Please continue to use extreme caution and follow Ontario’s Outdoor Fires Regulations when having an outdoor fire,” Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources shared.
“RFZ decisions consider a number of factors including daily weather and fire conditions, as well as forecasted weather trends over longer periods of time and potential drying conditions and precipitation. The ministry also considers the number of wildland fires that are burning, and the number of resources required to manage both current and potential wildland fires.
“Lifting the RFZ 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.
“It is important to remember that the overall fire danger can change rapidly based on the daily weather resulting in low to moderate fire hazard one day, followed by high to extreme the next simply based on the surface forest fuels drying out quickly, leading to fires starting easily and higher rates of fire spread under the right burning conditions,” the Ministry informed.
The Municipality of Sioux Lookout noted on its social media platforms, “Although we are all excited about this news, we would like to remind everyone that there are still risks to open air burning. Please remember that burning must be done in accordance with the open air burning by-law and permits are still required.
“Careless use of outdoor fires may result in charges associated with the cost of suppression.
“We hope everyone has an excellent and safe weekend, and remember to enjoy the outdoors safe and responsibly. Thank you!”