It might go down as the most severe season for wildfires that Ontario and Canada will ever see.
Ontario has called an end to this year’s wildfire season after over 700 blazes impacting 441,000 hectares of forest, including 50 hectares of woodland near Centennial Lake in Greater Madawaska Township back in June.
That fire, along with an 800-hectare blaze near Lake Nilgaut in the Pontiac Region, forced local communities to stay mostly indoors as smoke and residue covered most of the Ottawa Valley for weeks.
The sudden drop in air quality within the region would force a number of community organizations and local sports leagues to postpone or cancel events for health and safety concerns.
Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Graydon Smith, is thanking Fire Rangers and emergency staff who “worked bravely and tirelessly to fight wildland fires during one of the most challenging fire seasons Ontario and Canada have faced,” adding that he’s particularly thankful for their “hard work and proud of the incredible dedication they show every day on the job as they protect our communities and natural resources.”
He adds that, despite the work done to put out fires within Ontario, over 600 provincial firefighters were also dispatched to help control wildfires across the country and the US.
(written by Kasey Egan)