Forest fire threatens Nipigon Blueberry Blast blueberries

A forest fire nearNipigon, Ont.,is threatening to extinguish oneof the Nipigon Blueberry Blast's hottest blueberry-picking spots.

The wet weather in the early summer and the periods of drought that followed have already rendered the crops less than ideal, festival chair Carol Ann Banning told CBC.

Now, the Nipigon 99 forest fire is burning near a favourite cache of fruit, she said.

"For me it's a big concern because that's always been such a wonderful berry picking area, so I keep praying for rain on the fires but there hasn't been much rain," she added.

There are other places for festival-goers to gather blueberries, Banning said, and most don't take part in the berry-picking to begin with.

Most people, she said, focus their Blueberry Blast activities on the events and attractions in downtown Nipigon,which this year include a golf tournament, a waterfall tour, a guided hike to Sawmill Point, and a square dance featuring local music.

There will also be food and craft vendors, face painting, magic shows, music performances, a science exhibit, and a petting zoo put on by Ashley's Little Rabbitry.

"Even if the berry-picking is a little bit problematic, everything else should be all the fun that it usually is," Banning said.

The Blueberry Blast takes place Aug. 19 and 20.