23 new forest fires identified by Sunday afternoon in northwestern Ontario

Officials from the Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services (AFFES) saidthey have identified23 new fires in the Red Lake, Kenora, and Sioux Lookout districts by early Sunday afternoon.

Nine fires in theRed Lake area were found in the remote Woodland Caribou Provincial Park and Whiskeyjack Forest Areas. A citizen submitted avideo clip and photographs of the active fire near the boundary of the provincial park.

Two fires are under control, with one of them burning closest to thecommunity at 59 kilometres to the north west of Red Lake.

Officials said four other fires in the area are not under control and the remaining three are under observation.

Approximately 40 kilometres to the east of Red Lake,two more fires are situated on the shoreline of Trout Lake, according to a written release by AFFES. One of those fires are under control, while the other one is under observation.

Throughout Sunday afternoon, air attack plans have been tackling a 100 hectare fire that's approximately five kilometres from the Manitoba border near Huston Lake.

Another fire in Kenoraon an island on Populus Lake, approximately 30 kilometres east of Sioux Narrows, isnot under control, as well as another fire in Red Lake on a large peninsulaon Rowdy Lake.

According to Monday's written statement, there were three new fires started by lightning; one in Sioux Lookout, another in Red Lake near Sambells Lake, and the third in Kenorajust west of WingiskusLake in Eagle/Snowshoe Provincial Park. All three fires are not under control.

Another firethat is not under controlis near ArrilLake inWabakimiProvincial Park and was caused by a human, officials said.

There are currently a total of 78 fires in the northwest region and 59 of them are either under control, being held or under observation.

The forest fire hazard is high to extreme in theKenora, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout Districts but remains low to moderate in the Dryden, Fort Frances, Nipigon and Thunder Bay Districts.