More than 170 Wildfires Burning in Ontario’s North
First Nations leaders call for a public inquiry as the province says the fires burned more than 7,250 square kilometres this season.
- Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources listed 173 wildfires as active Wednesday morning across Ontario's north, including 12 sparked in the last 24 hours, with most fires burning in the last 10 days and displacing more than 1,800 people.
- Rapid fire spread caught communities off-guard, with some blazes detected only when dangerously close to First Nations, as the season's burned area exceeds any previous year with more than 7,250 square kilometres consumed.
- Neskantaga First Nation declared a state of emergency, with families evacuated by plane starting Saturday, July 18; twelve of the 13 evacuated communities are First Nations settlements.
- First Nations leaders demanded a public inquiry Tuesday, alleging the province failed to provide timely evacuation support, while Premier Doug Ford said his government had done everything possible.
- The crisis exposes systemic gaps in fire detection and early warning infrastructure, with Indigenous communities facing disproportionate vulnerability as record-breaking burned areas signal potential for greater future displacement.
38 Articles
38 Articles
On Wednesday morning, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources identified 173 active forest fires in the northern part of the province, 12 of which occurred in the past 24 hours.
The Hamilton Spectator
The RecordOntario wildfires carry heavy smoke across the province
Last week multiple wildfires in northern Ontario covered the province in smoke. Environment Canada issued an Orange Air Quality warning for a majority of Ontario. The wildfires have been caused by lightning and recent unusually hot and dry conditions.
Cambridge Times
New Hamburg independentAssocia Cares Canada Proposes CA$100,000 Earmark for Ontario Wildfire Relief
HAMILTON, Ontario, July 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa, the industry’s largest community management company, today announced that Associa Cares Canada has earmarked CA$100,000 to support wildfire relief efforts for residents and communities impacted by the ongoing devastation across Ontario.
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