Minnesota sends planes to fight Caddy Lake wildfire

The Manitoba government is thanking Minnesota for sending firefighting airplanes to the wildfire at Caddy Lake onthe Manitoba-Ontario border.

State officialshave dispatched an "interagency aviation package" that includes two fire retardant tankers contracted by the U.S. Forest Service and an observation plane, also known as a "bird dog."

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The Caddy Lake wildfire was last estimated to be 5,100 hectares in size on Tuesday and continues to grow. It isabout 55 kilometres west of Kenora, Ont.

The planes flew out to the Caddy Lake area on Tuesday afternoon and started dropping fire retardant to protect "high-value homes and cottages" and a rail line near the lake, as well as a power line that provides electricity to Kenora, according to an update from Ontario fire officials.

The Manitoba government took to social media to thank Minnesota for the support.

The Minnesota planes were sent to the Caddy Lake fire as part of a co-operative agreement between the Manitoba and Ontario governments and the United States as part of the Great Lakes Forest Fire Compact.

The agreement means Manitoba and Ontario will bring water bombers and bird dog aircraft to Minnesota when it needs help with firefighting efforts, according to Ontario fire officials.

Ontario fire crews have been leading firefighting efforts,dousing flames with water bombers as well as using aerial ignition systems to "fight fire with fire."

Another wildfire straddling the border covers about 56,000 hectares in Nopiming Provincial Park in Manitoba and Woodland Caribou Provincial Park in Ontario.

Both fires are considered to be not under control, Ontario fire officials said in theirupdate Tuesday evening.

Ontario Parks is urging people to avoid the southwestern portion of Woodland Caribou Provincial Park while crews battle the fire.