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Not a busy season for forest fires — so far

2022 is a slow forest fire season in Ontario so far. There are currently none burning.

Natural resources ministry fire information officer Evan Lizotte says there have been 81 fires in the province so far this year – 67 in the east, 14 in the west.

“By this time last year,” he contrasts, we had 333 wildland fires in the province, the majority being in the northwest. The last ten-year average, there have ben 227 wildland fires at this point in the season.”

Lizotte credits the quiet situation to a minimal number of significant lightning strikes; ample rainfall; few hot, dry days; and people using fire carefully.

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He says that in a situation like this, the rangers who fight wildland fires find a lot to help them keep busy.

“They do training on their pumps, hose, chainsaws, boating, helicopter. So they keep busy with training always.” …And are always ready at a moment’s notice to battle a fire-breathing dragon in the forest.

Lizotte says they also perform outreach events; present prevention courses to industries; and any number of projects on which the ministry can use their help.

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