/150512_forest_fires.jpg;w=400)
Updated at 1:48 p.m. on May 15
Police have arrested a 16-year-old suspect in connection with a series of small fires intentionally set in Sudbury, according to Greater Sudbury Police Service.
Officers responded to a fire in a garbage bin located between 720 and 744 Bruce St. at about 11:30 a.m. on May 15. The fire had been intentionally lit, police said.
A nearby parked car was damaged by the heat from the fire.
The teen was arrested at the scene for starting the fire and was transported to police headquarters. He will be charged with arson and mischief over $5,000. He is also being investigated in relation to fires set May 14.
Original story
Four more small fires kept Greater Sudbury firefighters busy May 15.
Firefighters and officers from Greater Sudbury Police Service were called to a fire on Louis Street at about 6:20 p.m. A pile of debris adjacent to a fence had been deliberately set on fire. It was immediately extinguished, but not before it caused about $1,000 worth of damage to the fence.
While responding to this fire, three additional fires were reported. Small grass fires were lit near the intersection of Murray and Leslie streets, according to police.
No damage was reported as a result of these fires.
All of these fires, as well as several that were intentionally lit in the Flour Mill area on May 13, are still under investigation.
As of May 14, Sudbury was one of the areas with the least amount of fires burning, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. The Northeast Region experienced a busy weekend, with 21 new fires found burning a total of 268.8 hectares. As of noon on May 14, that number has increased to 22 new fires since May 11, burning a total of 697.3 hectares.
Fires occurred in the areas of Chapleau (five fires), Cochrane (three fires), North Bay (two fires), Pembroke (one fire), Sault Ste. Marie (two fires), Sudbury (one fire), Kirkland Lake (one fire), Timmins (three fires) Hearst (one fire) and Wawa (three fires).
There were some fires of concern in the region, according to the MNR, including a fire in Timmins, as well as Wawa. Resources, in the form of FireRanger ground crews and air attack assistance, are currently strategically placed and ready to respond as required to aid in the extinguishing of these fires.
To date, there have been 89 fires across the Northeast Region, burning a total of 907.6 hectares.
Provincewide, there was a strong surge in forest fire activity over the weekend of May 11-13, as 31 new fires were reported. Eight fires were reported on May 11, a further 10 on May 12 and 13 on May 13.
Several fires have been posing control problems, and extensive waterbombing has been required.
There are several notable fires in the province right now. Fire Timmins 5 is burning near the west end of Timmins, close to homes and other values, making waterbombing difficult. Some residents were asked to leave their homes on May 13, but they have since been able to return.
Another difficult fire is Wawa 05, burning west of White River. The 40-hectare fire caused the closure of Highway 17, although it has now re-opened, and crews report that good progress is being made. A second fire in the Wawa district, Wawa 04, is the largest of the 2012 season so far at more than 200 hectares. Fortunately, this fire is in an isolated area.
There are currently 17 fires active and 286 hectares burning in Ontario. Five of these fires are classified as “Not Under Control.” The weekend’s activity has almost doubled the hectares burned this year in the province, from 355 hectares on May 11 to 660 on May 14.
Ontario’s FireRanger crew complement was expected to reach full capacity May 14. However, the recent rash of challenging fires in multiple locations across the province has begun to strain Ontario’s waterbombing capacity. Ontario has requested additional waterbombers from outside the province through CIFFC (Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre), according to the MNR.
Ontario has also set up Quickstrike waterbombing capability with Quebec, Manitoba and Minnesota. Quickstrike is a mutual assistance agreement that Ontario has in place with several of its neighbouring provinces and states. In a Quickstrike action, a waterbomber from outside of the province will drop water on a fire in Ontario and then return to its home state or province.
Under The Forest Fires Prevention Act, charges can be laid against anyone lighting grass or brush fires during the day. Grass and brush fires must not be lit until the evening - no sooner than two hours before sunset and they have to be out no later than two hours after sunrise. If you don't know what the rules are, check with your local fire officials before burning.
For further forest fire prevention information check www.ontario.ca/fireprevention. To report forest fires call 310-FIRE (3473).
Posted by Arron Pickard
