Evacuation order extended for eastern Ontario community hit by wildfire

Residents in the Centennial Lake area west of Ottawa won't be able to return to their homes and cottages until Friday, but the wildfireis being contained, the township says.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire has been declared as "being held," the Township of Greater Madawaska said in a statement.

Fire crews are now moving to the clean-up stage of the burn area.

"Crews will continue to work and to monitor the area over the coming days," the township said.

The evacuation orderfor Black Mountain Estates, Little Bay Lane, Snider's Tent and Trailer Park and Aird's Lake Road, which began Sunday, was previouslyscheduled to end early Wednesday afternoon.

Officials from the Township of Greater Madawaska, Ont.,said it's been extended until Friday at 3 p.m.

"Crews are back on the scene this morning; they still have the site flanked with hoses and are working on the suppression of the hot spots and preventive measures,"the township said on Facebook.

"There is assistance from the HeliCat Helicopter, which can drop buckets of water at GPS locations where hot spots are found."

The township is still asking people to avoid the area to give crews space to work.

One cottagertold CBChe watched from across the lake Sunday asthe fire jumpedfrom a small island to the mainland. It grew to be about 45 to 50 hectares in size.

WATCH | Video of the fire from Sunday:

Flames visible from the water as forest fire burns west of Ottawa

1 year ago

Duration 0:47

Dozens of homes have been evacuated in the Township of Greater Madawaska after a forest fire broke out Sunday afternoon.

Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is investigating the cause of the fire, which is located about50 kilometres west of Calabogie and 170 kilometres west of downtown Ottawa.

Fires in and around eastern Ontario and western Quebec are covering the region in smoke, causing dangerously poor air quality and changing or cancelling some events.

Western Quebec's poor air quality may persist for a few more days, according to Environment Canada, while eastern Ontario's may improve a bit Thursday before deteriorating again Friday.

Kitigan Zibi Anishinbegis preparing for a possible evacuation. People evacuated from other Algonquin communities have been sent to Maniwaki, Gatineau and Ottawa.

The provincehasa fire ban in placefor Renfrew County, where there is also an extreme fire risk the highest level on Ontario's four-level scale. The risk of fire is also extreme in all surrounding counties exceptOttawa

Ottawa, which isn't in one of these Ontario fire regions,has its own ban, as doesKingstonand many other municipalities. Quebec hasrestricted accessto some forests and parks.